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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26295691">Human</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonrose001/pseuds/Moonrose001'>Moonrose001</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Realities, Canon Lance, Child Soldier Lance, Each Lance has a different ship, Hurt/Comfort, Lance (Voltron)-centric, M/M, Merperson Lance (Voltron), Multiverse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:47:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,026</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26295691</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonrose001/pseuds/Moonrose001</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You’re saying they’re using him to power up the Castle?” McClain asks, his eyes wide now that they have gotten used to the light. “But… that doesn’t make sense. He’s a Paladin. They can’t form Voltron without him. Shiro would never let anybody be used like that.”<br/>“We didn’t have a choice.”<br/>They all startle and turn around.<br/>To Agura’s surprise, it’s the Princess’ advisor, Coran. He doesn’t know how the old Altean sneaked up on them, but Agura chooses not to do anything about it.<br/>After all, Coran had been one of the few people who had been kind to him.<br/>“If he isn’t drained,” Coran says and walks up to them his eyes sad, “he will merge with the quintessence and cease to be. We’ve been trying to get him back for… so long.”<br/>There’s genuine grief in his voice.<br/>“I think he did this,” Coran continues and looks at them. “I think it is he, who brought you here.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Lance/Shiro (Voltron), Lance/Lotor, Lance/Shiro (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>98</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  
</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Lance – Universe 311</strong>
</p><p>Lance is sitting in the garden, and enjoying the ocean breeze. Not far away he can hear his nieces and nephew play soccer, the shrieks and shouts a familiar sound. Ones he has been listening to for years now, but that he never stopped appreciating. After a long day of farming in the heavy sun, Lance is finally ready to take a rest. The sun has breached the horizon, and the breeze is becoming a little colder by the minute. But Lance is satisfied with himself. The sea buckthorns are coming around, and the chili’s have all grown very quickly after that last round of fertiliser. The olive trees are having a harder time, but they will catch up. It has been hard making them as plenty as Lance would’ve wanted. There are a lot of things that are not as he wants it to be.</p><p>Except, all of this is exactly what he wanted. Sometimes, when he talked to Hunk or Pidge, or shared dinner with the former Paladins, he could miss it a little bit. Being a hero, or at least, trying to be.</p><p>But that was only sometimes. For now, the markings on his cheekbones are enough of a reminder, why he just isn’t cut out to be out there, doing God’s work.</p><p>This, however, is comfortable. Here he is doing things he is good at. And if the time came to protect this world, he would be ready. But he doubts that, with the Lions being gone and all, and perhaps it also has something to do with the decision to stay here.</p><p>Not to worry though. Having an existential crisis about his importance in this world, no longer mattered or maybe he has just gotten so used to it, that he doesn’t care for it as much as he used to. He closes his eyes with a little content smile.</p><p>Only to be disrupted. A light is shining on his closed eyelids, and he slowly opens them. There is nothing in front of him but beneath him. He raises his hands in front of him, and realizes it is the Altean markings that are glowing. They do that once in a while, but never to this extent.</p><p>Slowly he rises, his hand automatically comes down to his hip, which is lacking his Bayard.</p><p>He has never gotten used to that.</p><p>For minutes he stands there, his body tense and ready to fight. The light in his markings has become brighter, so bright that it’s all he sees.</p><p>He groans softly, not wanting to alarm the children or his mother who is cooking inside the kitchen, the kitchen window only a few meters away.</p><p>He sees a hand reach out to him, and thinking it is his father who has spent a long day on the fields of oranges, he reaches out and takes it, only to realize that the hand is too small to be his father’s.<br/>
His stomach fills with dread, but then the hand pulls him in, and he disappears into the light with a resigned sigh.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Lance – Universe 985</strong>
</p><p>Lance is <em>not</em> in the mood for Keith’s antics; yes, he has been slacking on the hand-to-hand combat, but he would never be good enough for Keith’s standards anyway. Besides, they all needed to relax a little bit. Pidge has started getting that pinched, manic look in their face, and Hunk’s shoulders are tense all the time, even when he cooks.</p><p>They are all training right now, and here Lance is, floating in the pool out of sheer spite. He knows he shouldn’t be such an ass towards Keith. Since Keith’s Galran puberty had started – resulting in a lilac skin, even thicker hair and a height and build that surpassed even Shiro’s – he has been having an even harder time controlling his temper. It doesn’t help with the whole Shiro thing; that Shiro needs to take distance after returning to a new body. Lance isn’t happy about it, but it had seriously hurt Keith.</p><p>Lance chirps in dismay; the pool is so fucking <em>small</em>. Coran had adjusted it several times, even making it deeper, but it was never quite enough.</p><p>There are no lights in the water yet, which had scared the Alteans from their swimming lessons.</p><p>“I can’t see the bottom of the pool,” Allura had insisted. Wearily she pokes in a little brown toe, before instantly retreating. “What if there’s something in there?”</p><p>“If there’s something in there, either Lola or me would’ve sensed it.”</p><p>But Allura and Coran had just narrowed their eyes. They were cutting classes too, but no, Lance is always the one reprimanded for lack of discipline.</p><p>When the water starts glowing in an ominous blue, Lance knows something is wrong right away. And after years of being a Paladin, Lance has god damn learned; if it barks like a dog and acts like a dog, it’s a god damn dog. Hurriedly, he swims to the surface, and climbs out, starting to run when the water rises and pulls him in, his nails clawing marks onto the floor.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Lance: Universe 3877</strong>
</p><p>Agura has just abandoned his ship and is making his way to the nearest city on foot, when he senses something behind him. His sight sharpens in the darkness, his body stilling as he lifts his sword.</p><p>A subtle glow shines down on him, the stars seeming brighter. He inhales, recognizing it for what it is and starts running even when he knows that no one outside a ship could escape a tractor beam. Still, he runs until he can feel his feet slip from the ground underneath him. He floats for a second, his body absorbing the quintessence instead of being pulled by it and then everything goes dark.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Castle of Lions: Universe 00</strong>
</p><p>Shiro doesn’t always like being a leader, and even though he loves the Paladins very dearly, they are in all of the cases one of the messiest teams he has ever had the pleasure of working with. It is probably because of their age; after all space isn’t the funniest place to go through puberty. Or maybe it is just the soul-crushing pressure of knowing that Voltron – the face of the revolution and the defender of the universe – is led by them; a bunch of kids. And their leaders – Shiro and Allura – are barely adults.</p><p>Sometimes that realization hits Shiro really hard. Such a time is now, while Shiro is wandering the Castle on his own.</p><p>Pidge has hidden somewhere with her tablet, going on the third night in a row without sleeping. Hunk has covered all of the surfaces in the kitchen with food, stress-baking and cooking. It had been nice in the beginning, until Shiro realized that Hunk would only replace one batch with the other and the Yellow Paladin had refused to sit down to rest and eat himself.</p><p>Somehow, Keith has been the most manageable one, even though something is clearly groveling at his mind.</p><p>Shiro pinches his nose, as he looks through the monotone hallways. A glowing blue drizzle illuminates them, drops barely bigger than dust particles, making the hallways almost misty. Puddles of the blue rain gather on the floor, showing him his reflection despite of the glow. He has long since gotten used to this though.</p><p>In the infirmary Allura and Coran stand, both with tablets in their hands, Coran carefully rolling his beard with two fingertips.</p><p>Without having to ask, Allura replies: “He should be out now. He has charged up all the systems.”</p><p>Shiro looks into the sleep pod. The past year they have used the sleep pod many times to make Lance stable after he had overexerted himself, but this is the first time Lance has ended up in there with no further warning or any particular reason. In the beginning, the Paladins had been cool about it. He just needed to decompress, and he’d be out either way.</p><p>Nope. Too messy of a team for things to be that easy.</p><p>“And Lotor?” Shiro asks.</p><p>“Still not to be found,” Allura answers, frustrated. “The Generals are heading towards another galaxy to see if it will help pick up a signal.”</p><p>Shiro feels helpless. He doesn’t like this one bit.</p><p>“Okay, I will monitor his vitals, while you sleep,” Shiro suggests, and gently tugs the tablets out of the Alteans’ hands.</p><p>For once the Alteans don’t protest. Maybe because they have stopped waiting for something to change.</p><p>He looks at the vitals. The body inside the sleep pod contains too much quintessence for the scanner to pick up and show in numbers. The glass is frosted, but Shiro can make out Lance’s sleeping face. He is sitting up, with his knees against his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs.</p><p>There had been no reason for his state; no battle, no attacks, no nothing. According to the security tapes that filmed nine days ago, Lance had just put his armor on, walked to the sleep pod and closed it behind him, easily falling into some time of trance.</p><p>Even more weird, their companion and ally, Lotor, had likewise disappeared at about the same time.</p><p>Before Shiro can dwell on it too much, the alarms start blaring and with a determined huff, he puts the tablet down and quickly goes to the bridge.</p><p>Allura – dressed in her nightgown – and Coran are already there.</p><p>“There are three intruders in the Castle,” Coran informs, monitoring the three foreign heat signatures.</p><p>“How did they get in? I thought our particle barrier was up,” Shiro replies, narrowing his eyes at the figures’ heat signatures, too small to be Galra and too anthropomorphic to not be.</p><p>Coran only twirls his moustache as a reply.</p><p>“Can you track the intruders?” Shiro inquires.</p><p>Coran draws up a scheme completely in Altean, and quickly clicks a number of settings. His eyes slowly widen. “It can’t be…”</p><p>And then Keith is calling them over the mic. “Guys I need backup. I think we’re being attacked.”</p><p>----</p><p>Pidge runs towards the Bridge at the sound of an alarm. She had been hiding from Shiro in a closet in the far end of the Castle, reading all the research she could about quintessence. But everything was so vague, a disturbing void of numbers, and nothing she read brought her any closer to why Lance was stuck in the sleep pod.</p><p>It is only because she had been hiding at the other end of the Castle, that she sees the room of the pool had its lights turned off.</p><p>On Earth that wouldn’t be weird, considering that lights were usually off unless someone entered a room. On the battleship however, all the lights are on unless you make a conscious decision to turn them off. Alteans are odd that way.</p><p>A flicker of hope throbs in her chest as she hears someone swim through the water.</p><p>She opens the doors with her handprint, and they come apart easily.</p><p>And her suspicions are true. Lance is indeed in the pool, treading water and looking very confused.</p><p>“Lance?” she calls out, relieved. For once the team doesn’t have to fight their way to a success. Maybe it was really that easy this time.</p><p>But the thought of Lance waking on his own, the solution being served on a silver platter, still seems too unrealistic. She has learned – in the hard way – that nothing she wanted ever came easy.</p><p>“Pidgeon,” he squeaks, sounding equally as relieved. “I think I fell asleep in the water, and I had the weirdest dream.”</p><p>“About what?” she asks, walking towards the edge of the water.</p><p>“That I was being swallowed by this immense beam of light,” he chuckles. “Thank God it was just a dream. Here, help me up.”</p><p>With a foreign strength he surges up from the water in one confident movement, and she quickly jumps forwards to take his hands, only to jump back with a yelp when she realizes that he is butt-naked.</p><p>She looks away, her cheeks blazing, but in the few seconds she saw Lance, something odd had caught her eye. Lance walks to the edge of the pool where he always keeps a pile of towels, and wraps one around his hips. Only then does Pidge dare to look at him.</p><p>A big scar stretches from his breastbone, all the way down his stomach and hipbone and down one leg to his ankle. And Pidge knew from countless of training sessions and pool trips that Lance doesn’t have that scar.</p><p>He is drying off his hair, when Pidge points her Bayard at him with a quivering hand.</p><p>"Pidge?" Lance asks, his voice a mummer. He tries to sound cheery, like he knows what’s going on, but can’t really believe it. "What are you doing?"</p><p>She clears her throat. "You’re not Lance. Who are you?”</p><p>“Pidge, what are you talking about?” Lance asks, surprised.</p><p>Before she has time to answer, the automatic doors open and Shiro barges in. He looks at Pidge, then at Lance and raises his eyebrows.</p><p>“I don’t understand,” he slowly says, but then raises his gun and points it at Lance as well. He taps into his com. “Me and Pidge have located the intruder, and has him in our custody.”</p><p>“What, intruder?” the Blue Paladin echoes back. “I live here!”</p><p>Pidge flinches at that, but Shiro remains firm. “Follow us,” he orders.</p><p>---</p><p>While Hunk and Allura rush to aid Keith, Coran stays and scans the Castle’s barriers and shields. He doesn’t understand; the Castle had been on full alert, and there had been no breach. How did the intruders get in? It is as though they had appeared out of thin air.</p><p>Coran hears the door open, and he looks up.</p><p>“Lance?” he asks, surprised. It had been only but a few dobashes since Coran had been reviewing Lance’s vital signs in the sleep pod, and there they had remained the same. How…?</p><p>“Hello, old friend,” Lance greets, relaxed and smiling sadly. He’s wearing what appeared to be human clothing; a denim overall and a black t-shirt. His clothes are patched with dirt, and he smells like salt and sweat. He has his hands in the overall’s pockets, standing still at the door.</p><p>And only then does Coran notice that he is taller, more broad-shouldered. His smile lines around his eyes are more prominent, his hair is longer and there are blue, Altean marks on his cheek bones.</p><p>Coran’s eyes widen. “Lance?”</p><p>“Not quite,” Lance replies.</p><p>----</p><p>When Allura and Hunk arrive, Keith is lying on the floor, clutching his side with bared teeth. Looming over him the intruder stands, watching him closely.</p><p>“Hold it right there, buddy,” Hunk shouts in warning, raising his canon.</p><p>The intruder looks up at them, and slowly tilts his head. His long cape is dark blue, and underneath it the intruder only wears an under suit. He’s wearing gauntlets and a belt of weapons around his waist, but seems not to be using either.</p><p>Hunk gasps, and Allura doesn’t understand why. A feeling of uneasiness is filling her though, because there’s something familiar about the figure. She inspects his face. There are silver tattoos on his face, a thin banner of Altean letters along his jaw, and two tattoos, which Allura realizes are Galran symbols, underneath his eyes. His dark brown hair is floppy in the front, and the sides of his head are shaved, revealing a vine-like wave starting from his left temple all the way to his right jaw, expanding to the back of his neck. The tattoos look like liquid metal, shining and metallic.</p><p>“L-Lance?” Hunk stutters, and Allura realizes why this person seems to look so familiar.</p><p>Keith lunges, and Lance quickly grabs him by the neck, as quick as a snake, and lifts him up on his knees.</p><p>“That’s not Lance,” Keith shouts as Lance raises him up from the floor, leaving him dangling in the air. Lance looks awfully numb and distant from the situation, eyes empty, as his hand tightens and Keith’s hands come up to them, clawing at them.</p><p>That’s what makes Allura draw her Bayard. The whip wraps around Lance’s waist and she pulls. Instead of fighting it, he rolls with it, easily dodging the gunfire that Hunk directs at him. Still holding Keith around the neck, he runs towards the wall behind Hunk, backflips on the wall and dancing in-between Hunk and Allura, kicking her legs from beneath her and completing the circle around Hunk, effectively wrapping the whip around Hunk’s stomach.</p><p>Allura gets up, only to be kicked on her temple by Lance’s boot and everything turns black for a second.</p><p>When she comes to, Keith is on the floor and hacking up a lung, his lips blue and his face purple. With an inhale she sits up, about to summon her Bayard, when Hunk says: “Princess, wait.”</p><p>Hunk sits besides her, still wrapped tight by her whip, but he’s looking at Lance.</p><p>Lance who isn’t making any move to hurt them or kill them. Just quietly looming over them, like he was when Allura and Hunk arrived.</p><p>Why isn’t he attacking with all of them down?</p><p>“He’s just scared,” Hunk says.</p><p>Allura looks at Lance. He expressionlessly stares at them, and Allura doesn’t understand Hunk’s reservations, until she notices that Lance is hyperventilating. He isn’t audibly gasping but his chest is inflating and deflating quickly. Like when he was having a silent panic attack.</p><p>“What?” Keith grunts, slowly getting up on his elbows and Lance holds his breath. But oddly enough he doesn’t strike.</p><p>“He won’t hurt us, if we don’t hurt him,” Hunk realizes.</p><p>Keith and Allura look at each other, then at Lance.</p><p>“Hey buddy,” Hunk coos, like he’s talking to a pet. “Don’t be scared. We’re not going to hurt you. Not anymore.”</p><p>Lance slowly tilts his head, looking at Hunk with big mirror eyes. There is an odd sheen to them. Like they’re fake. Then he takes a few steps back, putting distance between the party and himself.</p><p>“Allura is going to unwrap me now, okay?” Hunk says. “Don’t worry, that’s the only thing we’re going to do.”</p><p>Lance looks at them, and then very slowly nods, the first sign of response he had showed.</p><p>Allura sits up and unwraps Hunk from her whip. Keith has sat up fully, still angry but wary now. He knows all about dogs that bites the hand off people who tries to pet them. Dogs that are afraid of humans because of their previous owner.</p><p>“Are you hungry?” Hunk asks, doing this the only way he knows how to. “Would you like for me to cook something up for you?”</p><p>Lance doesn’t answer right away. Then he starts to nod.</p><p>“Okay, I’m gonna get up now,” Hunk says. “My friends as well. Is that okay?”</p><p>The Blue Paladin nods again, and Allura reaches out an arm for Hunk to pull him up by. Hunk gets up, smiles crookedly and reaches out a hand.</p><p>Lance hesitates. Then he reaches out, and Hunk pulls him to the door without waiting any further.</p><p>----</p><p>“We’ve got one of the intruders. We’re in the kitchen,” Allura says in the comm. “This intruder is of no danger. What about the two other targets?”</p><p>“I am in the company in the second target,” Coran chimes in. “Also of no danger.”</p><p>“Same,” Pidge says. “It’s… we found a Lance.”</p><p>“So did we!” Allura exclaims.</p><p>“That would make three of them,” Coran joins in. “Let’s meet in the kitchen to further discuss.”</p><p>----</p><p>When Shiro and Pidge arrive to the kitchen, some tattooed Galra-uniformed Lance is sitting at the table, nibbling at some bread with a bowl of steaming soup in front of him. Besides him, Hunk is chatting idly. Keith is standing at the wall, looking alert but still for now, and Allura is sitting with a tablet, seemingly absorbed in information.</p><p>“Hello,” Shiro’s Lance greets and all of them look at him.</p><p>The tattooed Lance’s eyes widen. His hands still on the table.</p><p>Before Shiro can start to figure out why, Coran steps into the room. He smiles as he sees the team, and pulls the third intruder in. “Guess who’s here!” he exclaims.</p><p>This Lance is older, at least 25. He has grown out of his lanky limbs and the softness of his face has been replaced with clean lines. “Hello, everyone,” he smiles, his Altean marks starting to glow. “Thank you for having me.”</p><p>Then he notices that Shiro’s Lance is only wearing a towel and handcuffs, and Shiro blushes, feeling like he’s the only one who overreacted.</p><p>“I could really go for some soup too,” Shiro’s Lance says longingly, and with a start Shiro releases him from his handcuffs.</p><p>“Okay, what’s going on?” Shiro asks Hunk, but it’s the old Lance that replies.</p><p>“The multiverse,” he says. “Alternate realities and such. Hunk, is that nettle soup?”</p><p>“Yeah!” Hunk confirms.</p><p>“Then I’m going to help myself as well,” old Lance says.</p><p>“Okay, okay,” Pidge sighs. “Altean Lance is Blue, tattoo Lance is Lancelot and naked Lance is McClain. Got it?”</p><p>“Sure,” Blue replies.</p><p>“Got it,” McClain affirms, sitting down with his plate.</p><p>Lancelot doesn’t reply. He hasn’t stopped staring at the two Lances.</p><p>“He doesn’t talk,” Keith comments.</p><p>Pidge looks at Lancelot for a second, really inspects him. Finally, Lancelot looks away from his counterparts and nods at her. She smiles reassuringly back.</p><p>“So, like,” McClain says, “you all obviously know us. But where is your Lance?”</p><p>The room goes quiet, as the Paladins are wondering what to answer.</p><p>“He’s in a pod,” Shiro slowly says.</p><p>“Aw,” McClain says, slurping loudly at the soup. “When will he be out?”</p><p>At this, Keith says: “We don’t know yet.”</p><p>Before anyone can answer, Lancelot stiffens and turns his head. Carefully he puts the wood spoon on the table.</p><p>“What is it, buddy?” Hunk asks, as Lancelot’s hand goes down to his belt of weapons.</p><p>The door opens, and Kolivan walks in, the only way he knows how: stoically. “Paladins.”</p><p>Krolia is right behind him, and it’s her who says: “Don’t move further, Kolivan.”</p><p>And Shiro realizes that at some point, Lancelot has drawn his gun. His eyes are glowing with an unfamiliar light.</p><p>Kolivan moves to block Krolia’s body. “Who is this?” he asks.</p><p>Lancelot is visibly hyperventilating now, but his gun isn’t shaking at all.</p><p>“Hey buddy,” Hunk calls out, gently. “It’s just Kolivan. I don’t know what he did in your universe, but here he is an ally and a friend. He won’t hurt you. I promise.”</p><p>Lancelot’s gun is still up, but finally he looks at Hunk. His eyes are big and alerted. But then he shakes his head, his lips thinning as he stares at Kolivan with obvious hatred.</p><p>“Lancelot,” Blue calls out, his voice gentle yet stern. He stands up from the chair, and slowly but carefully he walks to Lancelot, putting himself in between the gun and Kolivan.  “Put the gun down.”</p><p>Now McClain is also getting up. “Lancelot. Come on. You don’t want to hurt anybody.”</p><p>Lancelot shakes his head, eyes on Kolivan.</p><p>Blue says: “You’re safe.”</p><p>The corner of Lancelot’s mouth switches, like he is close to smiling. Blue reaches out, and slowly puts weight on Lancelot’s wrist, pushing the gun down.</p><p>“Hey,” Blue whispers. “Come here.”</p><p>Lancelot turns to look at him, and Blue’s markings start to glow. The lights go down his shoulder, and out through his arm, landing on Lancelot’s being. Lancelot stares at him in bewilderment, before his eyes droop and he starts to fall. Blue reaches out to catch him, only to stumble underneath the weight. In a second, McClain is there, helping Blue put Lancelot on the floor.</p><p>They’re all quiet for a while, then Keith says: “We need to lock him up. He’s clearly a wild card, and he’s too strong for us to contain.”</p><p>“Now that’s not fair,” Blue objects. “He obviously has some sort of trauma. A jail cell won’t help that.”</p><p>Keith frowns. “Allura. You saw how easily he took us down.”</p><p>Allura’s face hardens. “I’m afraid he’s right… Blue.”</p><p>“Wait, that isn’t fair,” McClain snaps, looking at her. “If you lock him up, you might as well lock all of us up.”</p><p>Shiro stands up. “We all need to calm down.”</p><p>“Sit down, big boy,” McClain hisses, and Shiro falls back into his seat. In shock he looks up at McClain.</p><p>“What the…?” he whispers, but then McClain feels the electricity of Pidge’s Bayard and McClain collapses.</p><p>Finally, all Bayards are raised against Blue, who slowly raises his hands.</p><p>“No need for violence,” he says. “I will do whatever you want.”</p><p>---</p><p>Agura awakes slowly. Immediately he notices that his gauntlets and belt are missing, and he sits up immediately. There are soft blue lights around him, the room dim.</p><p>Right. He’s back at the Castle. With the Paladins, and the…</p><p>The alternate versions of him.</p><p>He still can’t believe it. They are everything he isn’t. Their skin is unscarred where his is a map of scars. They had no armour that made their movements jerky. They moved with grace. Their voices are alight, quick and humoured. They are radiating relaxation and <em>fun</em>. Everything he isn’t.</p><p>Agura briefly feels his eyes burn. He never thought he’d see the day where he would find out the information about his origins; though the Paladins of his world had always told him, that he was a human he had always doubted it. He doubted a lot of things, and with time he started to doubt them. They had promised that as soon the war was over they'd find his home, his family. That he just had to help them. But they had lied, fooling Agura to believe that they wanted to help him when really, they had taken advantage of his weaknesses to join their fight. Just like everyone else had.</p><p>He had left them and they hadn't fought to keep him there. After all he had broken the team like he broke everything else. </p><p>But this is something else. This is his true self, his true name. All their promises, the hope he had felt with them, comes back to him like a painful daydream. </p><p>He could stay here... Learn from them. And as soon as he returned to his own world, he could... He could finally find his family. If they wanted him. </p><p>
  <em>Lance.</em>
</p><p>He smiled. That is his name.</p><p>"Lancelot?" a groggy voice calls. </p><p>Agura turns his head. McClain is waking up on a mattress besides him. Blue is prowling at the door. </p><p>"They put us in a cell," Blue explains with a sad smile. "I don't think they know what to do with us. But I don’t think they’re going to hurt us.”</p><p>McClain sits up and yawns. "We don't know that," he states. "Maybe we can make the Blue Lion come to us?" </p><p>"Do you pilot the Blue Lion still?" Blue asks. "I piloted her too, until Shiro disappeared and Keith became the leader. Then I piloted Red." </p><p>Agura's eyes widen. "P... Paladins?" he asks. </p><p>Both Blue and McClain look at him. </p><p>"Of course," McClain says, gently. "You're not?" </p><p>Agura shakes his head, his mind blown. Him? A part of Voltron? The defender of the universe? The thought is outrageous, makes him want to laugh. </p><p>"Wait, how did your ass end up in space then?" McClain asks, a little disturbed.</p><p>Inwardly, Agura cringes at the question. Right. He needs to remember that he still is nothing like these people. They are better; pure and corrected. </p><p>But. He is stronger, and he has put the team of Voltron in their place before. He is their real shot at getting out of here, if Voltron is planning to hurt them in some way. Just because the Paladins didn’t intentionally bring them here, doesn’t mean that the interdimensional travellers are safe.</p><p>He stands up, and joins Blue at the doors. Blue steps aside, and Agura slides his hands over the metal. His fingers morph into thin knives that slide into the crack of the door. He changes his stance and starts to pry the doors apart. </p><p>"That won't work," McClain says, but then doors are pried open just a little bit, and Blue and McClain jump up to help him. </p><p>The doors come apart further as soon as McClain helps him and Agura absently takes note at that before he writhes his body into the small crack and using his legs to pull it further open. Blue and McClain worm out of the crack and Agura jumps out, the doors closing with a smack.</p><p>“Okay, my suggestion is to get something for me to wear, and then scram,” McClain says, scanning the hallways. “Perhaps getting weapons. My team will come soon. What about yours?”</p><p>Blue slowly shakes his head. “I only see my team every sixth months or so. I don’t think they will be coming for me anytime soon.”</p><p>Agura stays quiet when they look at him.</p><p>“Fine,” McClain says and grins. His teeth look a little sharp. “You’re coming home with me then.”</p><p>A wash of joy briefly makes Agura feel cold, a shock to his body that he never gets used to, but he ignores it and starts to jog. Blue and McClain pick up after him.</p><p>They quickly find this universe’s Lance’s room, and McClain’s hand gives them access. He finds a Bayard and a uniform.</p><p>“There’s a coat of dust on them,” McClain slowly realizes. “Their Lance… he hasn’t been here for a while.”</p><p>Agura narrows his eyes and when McClain makes no signs of getting up, he grabs him by the arm and lifts him up, pointing at the uniform.</p><p>“I know, sorry,” McClain says, and he gets into the uniform quickly. Like this, Agura can almost forget that these people are his counterparts and perhaps that is for the best. “Look, Blue there’s a spare armour.”</p><p>“No thank you, I’m fine,” he politely declines. “But is there a spare gun, perhaps?”</p><p>“No, but you should take the armour,” McClain says, a gentle command in his voice and turns around to look at Blue. “We have no idea what will meet us out there.”</p><p>Blue closes his eyes, and it’s not really pain that flickers over his face, but perhaps something like an old ache. Then he nods, and takes the armour. It’s a little snug, but then it expands.</p><p>“What about you, Lancelot?” McClain asks, and he doesn’t know how much it means for Agura to be called by his real name. “Should we go find you some weapons?”</p><p>Agura shakes his head. There is no time to waste.</p><p>They leave the bedroom, and heads towards the hangar, when Blue stops and stares at a closed door. His markings are starting to glow.</p><p>“He’s in there,” Blue says. “Their Lance. I can feel it.”</p><p>McClain goes to him, and for a split second they are all wondering if there was time for a rescue. Then McClain walks to the door, and his handprint lets them in. A bright light falls on his face, and he shields his face with his arms.</p><p>Agura can see though, and the sight is almost gruesome.</p><p>This universe’s Lance is contained in a chamber of sorts. He’s in his armour, but the armours are connected with wires, pulsing energy into the ship. His arms are wrapped around his knees, his eyes closed. He almost looks peaceful, except a little line between his brows.</p><p>“He’s... an energy source,” Blue realizes. “I can’t believe it. How...?”</p><p>“You’re saying they’re using him to power up the Castle?” McClain asks, his eyes wide now that they have gotten used to the light. “But… that doesn’t make sense. He’s a Paladin. They can’t form Voltron without him. Shiro would never let anybody be used like that.”</p><p>“We didn’t have a choice.”</p><p>They all startle and turn around.</p><p>To Agura’s surprise, it’s the Princess’ advisor, Coran. He doesn’t know how the old Altean sneaked up on them, but Agura chooses not to do anything about it.</p><p>After all, Coran had been one of the few people who had been kind to him.</p><p>“If he isn’t drained,” Coran says and walks up to them his eyes sad, “he will merge with the quintessence and cease to be. We’ve been trying to get him back for… so long.”</p><p>There’s genuine grief in his voice.</p><p>“I think he did this,” Coran continues and looks at them. “I think it is he, who brought you here.”</p><p>“Why would he bring us here?” McClain asks. “<em>How</em> could he bring us here?”</p><p>“I don’t know, but he has done so many unimaginable things while he was in this state before,” Coran wearily replies. “If it is he, surely there was a purpose. Surely, he needed help with something. This must all mean something. It has to.”</p><p>Agura turns to look at Lance. His hair is floating, like he’s underwater.</p><p>Then something cold trickles down his back. Slowly he turns around, and sees the Blades of Marmora on one end of the hall and the Paladins on the other.</p><p>This is a trap.</p><p>It seems that McClain and Blue realizes at the same time as they all gather together in a tight circle, backs against each other. Blue starts to emit a dangerous glow and McClain draws his Bayard.</p><p>“Please,” Coran says, his voice begging. “Don’t fight.”</p><p>“<em>Agura</em>,” one of the Blades says, “<em>damvita</em>.”</p><p>Agura’s eyes widen as his nervous system deactivates. At once he falls to his knees as the purple lightning starts electrocuting his armour plates, and he gasps for air first, only to scream the next. He forgot this pain. How silly of him.</p><p>“Oh, you’re gonna regret that,” McClain snarls, throws Blue the Bayard and charges.</p><p>“No, please, stop!” Coran cries. He runs to grab Agura, but is electrocuted and thrown back.</p><p>The Blades are charging, the Paladins are charging and Blue is shooting, and McClain jumps into the array, his lean body bouncing among the Blades like a squirrel, quick and light among their big puma-like bodies. Blue covers him and then suddenly McClain has reached the Blade that emitted the order. He lands on top of the Blade’s shoulders, and cups his arms right underneath the Blade’s chin.</p><p>“No!” Shiro shouts.</p><p>With a jerk, McClain breaks the Blade’s neck and rips off his head. At once the electricity shocks stop running through Agura’s body.</p><p>Maybe Agura shouldn’t have underestimated the strength of his companions.</p><p>He gasps as his system spends a tick rebooting, and he slowly rises up on his feet. He sees bloodshed. And like the pet, Haggar raised him to be, he wants to participate. Kolivan charges, his blade up as he lunges at Agura and Agura starts to smile, imagining Kolivan’s head in his hands once more.</p><p>“Enough!” Coran screams and jumps in front of Agura’s body.</p><p>Agura’s eyes widen. He had been ready. His armour would’ve taken the hit, and Agura would’ve taken that moment to plant his strike.</p><p>Put Coran isn’t even wearing his armour. And he is ready to die. For peace.</p><p>It’s not only Agura that stills. The Paladins’ movements slow, and only now does Agura notice how absolutely surrounded Blue and McClain had been.</p><p>“Lower your weapons, Paladins,” Shiro orders.</p><p>“Blades,” Kolivan mirrors.</p><p>Slowly, Blue lowers the rifle. McClain sits up in a pile of bodies. There’s blood coming from his mouth. Agura isn’t totally sure whether the blood is his own.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Torture?” Blue neutrally asks, having not touched his soup.<br/>“Nah. Or well, kind of. She…” Hunk mummers, only to clear his throat. “You know like a minute ago, you started feeling bad because you had too much quintessence inside of you?”<br/>“Yeah.”<br/>“Well, imagine that you had too much and then more. And then more and more and more, until it was all that you had,” Hunk explains, grabbing a coral-looking red vegetable. “Until you’re, like, nothing but quintessence. We know that Alteans can do that, and master controlling the quintessence, but… Lance was just human.”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Enough,” Coran repeats, shaking. “This isn’t what Lance would’ve wanted.”</p><p>“He’s right,” Shiro agrees. “There is no real reason to fight.”</p><p>“You were the ones who you started this,” McClain growls, feeling like a child throwing a tantrum. He feels so frustrated that he feels tears well up on his eyes; not because he is scared or upset, but because he wants to fucking <em>hit somebody with a chair</em>. “You threw us in that cell, and you … let the Blades do that to Lancelot. This is not the Shiro I knew; the Voltron I knew. I’m not mad, I’m <em>ashamed</em>.”</p><p>“Listen,” Kolivan breaks in. “My men were under strict orders not to use the Agura’s programming against him. That my agent chose to do otherwise, I take full responsibility for but was without my authorization.”</p><p>Blue rubs his eyes. They’re a little red.</p><p>McClain’s skin is itching. This is too much. Somewhere in another reality, Shiro is coming to terms with his near-death experience, isolating himself from Keith and Lance even though he promised that he would trust them. McClain knows his leader; knows that his softness is what makes him a compassionate leader and a responsible head of Voltron.</p><p>But then McClain looks at Shiro and he immediately feels bad. Shiro has a blank expression which McClain has seen before, but only now and then. As a consequence of his softness, Shiro doubts himself more than anybody else on the team, even the galaxy. More than once McClain have had to assure him that he was doing such a good job despite the circumstances, not just good enough, but more than anybody could’ve expected. Shiro didn’t ask for this much responsibility, but he did an outstanding job of fulfilling it.</p><p>But inside Shiro’s nebula of constant self-doubt, there is always the harsh self-judgment and the question of whether he did his job well enough. Space makes you feel that way. Like doing your best, never was good enough. McClain knows this, and has tried to provide Shiro shelter from that side of himself for years.</p><p>And now he’s just tramping all over it.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” McClain says, his face flustered. “I’m…” He is tempted to sing. Just make Shiro’s shame go away. But McClain knows it’s a shortcut he’s not allowed to take, because Shiro deserves better. Even then, the temptation would always be there.</p><p>“No, you’re right,” Shiro says. He sighs and rubs his brows. “Our initial plan wasn’t to attack. I’m sorry. We just got caught up in the heat of the moment.”</p><p>“It’s okay.”</p><p>“No it’s not. We’re Paladins.”</p><p>“Shiro. It’s okay. I’m sorry too.”</p><p>“Of course you are,” Pidge pipes up. “You <em>beheaded</em> someone.”</p><p>All the compassion in McClain’s body disappears. He crosses his arms in defiance.</p><p>“Lance,” Lancelot states but it almost sounds like a question instead, and McClain’s head snaps over to him. “Lance,” Lancelot repeats, more assured.</p><p>“Yeah, that’s me… us,” McClain affirms softly.</p><p>Something about Lancelot sparks fierce feelings of protectiveness in McClain. He can’t quite pinpoint why yet.</p><p>“He’s Agura,” Kolivan says behind him and Lancelot’s shoulders slump. He turns to look at Kolivan and the murderous look in his eyes are back. McClain notices and by the way Blue looks at Lancelot, he notices too. “He shouldn’t be able to talk.”</p><p>Blue tilts his head. “What is an Agura?”</p><p>“One of Haggar’s sick experiments,” Kolivan replies. “Kidnapped children from all over the universe, that she modified to do her bidding.”</p><p>“Lance,” Lancelot says, something frustrated in his voice.</p><p>Blue puts a hand on his shoulder. “Yes, that’s your name, buddy.”</p><p>“Lance,” Lancelot repeats, sadder. As if he is confirming it. As if to say: That is my name.</p><p>McClain’s heart swoons. “Your name is Lance,” he says. “Your mother’s name is Maria. Your father’s name is José. Your name is fucking Lance, and if I hear someone call you Agura again, I’m going quiznacking smother them.”</p><p>“Maybe saying that is not a good idea right after you beheaded someone, pal,” Hunk admonishes.</p><p>“Also because, despite what role the Blades of Marmora played in your universe, they’ve been faithful and loyal allies of ours, and I will not have you hurt them,” Allura follows.</p><p>“Try me,” McClain snaps.</p><p>“Enough,” Blue sighs. “Perhaps it’s time that we call it a day, huh? I need my beauty sleep.”</p><p>McClain looks at him, and Blue is clenching his Bayard, something tight around his eyes.</p><p>“Are you okay?” McClain asks, when Blue sways a little.</p><p>His Altean markings are still glowing.</p><p>“I don’t know,” he replies, hand coming up to tug at his hair. “Can we just… not do this?”</p><p>Lancelot is looking at him now as well. “Lance?” he asks.</p><p>Blue’s lids lower, and at once the markings stop to glow. As soon as they turn off, Blue’s eyes roll back and he faints.</p><p>----</p><p>“It’s a quintessence overdose,” Coran diagnoses, eyes focused on the tablet in his hands. In front of him, Blue is sitting on an examination table, a barf bag in-between his hands. He looks matte and sweaty at the same time, a slight olive parlour to his complexion. “Human bodies are not made for that much quintessence, and that’s why his body is shaken up. But he will be alright.”</p><p>“So you’re going to drain him as well?” McClain passive-aggressively asks. In the background, Lance is still motionless in his chamber, the pulse of quintessence endlessly leaving his body.</p><p>“Why are you so <em>mean</em>?” Keith snaps. “Coran didn’t do anything to you.”</p><p>McClain is about to say that Keith should get out of his fucking face, but then he stops himself. It’s true after all. He knows what mood he gets in, when he has killed. When his body becomes feral enough to display the strength of his other form, but not feral enough for him to soothe into the mindless predator mind-set.</p><p>“You need a nap,” Shiro says with a little indulging smile on his lips, recognizing the snappiness as the agitation it is. He obviously cares, and wants to comfort McClain into feeling safer. He wants to bring the best out of a dire situation, even though McClain had hurt him. That is typically Shiro; always kind even when you don’t deserve it.</p><p>McClain notices how tense his shoulders are, and makes an effort to try and relax them. Coran gently nudges Lancelot to sit on the examination table beside Blue’s, and takes a few steps back to scan Lancelot with the tablet’s scanner, checking him for lasting injuries after the electric shock.</p><p>“And a shower,” Pidge adds with a wrinkled nose. “You smell like old fish.”</p><p>“Rude!” McClain shrieks even though he knows that Pidge is right.</p><p>“What are you anyway?” Keith asks, his arms crossed his mouth pulled together in a pout. “You beheaded a Galra with your bare hands.”</p><p>“What about it?” McClain asks. “How is that any concern of yours?”</p><p>“How is it not?” Keith objects. “That could’ve been any of us, if you deemed us a threat.”</p><p>“I see who vouched to lock us up,” McClain hisses. “You’re just mad that I’m better than you.”</p><p>“That’s not what I meant – “</p><p>“Enoooouuugh,” Shiro groans. “Paladins, go to your quarters. It’s way past our bedtime, but I still expect you at 7 am tomorrow on the training deck. McClain, Blue and Lancelot; where do you prefer to sleep?”</p><p>“Shiro,” Hunk says in shock. “They never finished their soup, and Blue just threw up. You expect them to go to sleep hungry?”</p><p>“Yeah Shiro,” Pidge says in their we-are-ganging-up-on-you voice. “Also it’s 4 am. 7 am is far too early.”</p><p>Shiro smirks and shrugs. “Well, am I to blame that you haven’t slept for 4 days?”</p><p>“Well, someone has to find out what’s happening with Lance,” she says, becoming stiff and it softens McClain’s heart a little. Maybe these people aren’t so bad after all.</p><p>“Surely, you can continue your search for information in the morning,” Allura smiles and puts a hand on Pidge’s shoulder.</p><p>As she says it, she glances over her shoulder and looks at Lance. Her eyes are tender.</p><p>---</p><p>“So, Coran said that Lance has been in this state before,” McClain says, dipping bread into his nettle soup. “Is he some celestial being or something?”</p><p>Hunk, who’s been happily prepping tomorrow’s breakfast with a tongue peaking out in the corner of his mouth, pauses only to continue after a moment. “No. Uh, it’s kind of a long explanation, but he was once Haggar’s experiment too.” He lifts the chopping board and slides the vegetables into a bowl. All of the vegetables are unfamiliar to McClain and he briefly wonders if in this universe, the Paladins went to far different universes than McClain’s team had.</p><p>“Torture?” Blue neutrally asks, having not touched his soup.</p><p>“Nah. Or well, kind of. She…” Hunk mummers, only to clear his throat. “You know like a minute ago, you started feeling bad because you had too much quintessence inside of you?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Well, imagine that you had too much and then more. And then more and more and more, until it was all that you had,” Hunk explains, grabbing a coral-looking red vegetable. “Until you’re, like, nothing but quintessence. We know that Alteans can do that, and master controlling the quintessence, but… Lance was just human.” His smile falters, and he inhales sharply. “He just disintegrated. Poof. Even Red couldn’t connect with him. But somehow the Blue Lion could, and she became an anchor. But even when he was back too normal, he would still get these… lapses. Where he became a vacuum of quintessence and was so overwhelmed with it, that he had to be drained. Problem is, this time there’s been no rhyme or reason for it, unlike usually where he gathered quintessence to strike at enemies in a fight. And even though he has fully charged the Castle, he’s not snapping out of it.”</p><p>McClain, who’s been carefully chewing his food while listening, swallows and mutters: “Oh.”</p><p>“What about the Princess?” Blue asks. “She has transferred quintessence before. Can’t you like, just find a dying planet and transfer it to there?”</p><p>Hunk shakes his head. “We tried to do it, but the quintessence was incompatible with the planet. We’re still experimenting a lot though, which has been weird because we’re used to just throwing him into the pod and let the Castle do its magic, you know?”</p><p>“Coran says he might’ve been the one who brought us here,” McClain says. “Is that possible?”</p><p>“I don’t know, man,” Hunk sighs. “It’s been two years and none of us – even Coran and Allura – knows how this works. Only Haggar did, and Lance killed her after her experiments.”</p><p>“Lance killed Haggar?” McClain asks and whistles. “Good for you.”</p><p>“She’s not dead in your universe?”</p><p>“Alive and fresh as a toddler,” McClain darkly answers. “Even though we’ve left Zarkon’s empire in ruins after we took him out, Haggar is still disrupting all of our plans. What about your Haggar, Blue?”</p><p>Blue looks at him, and something incredible vulnerable goes over his face. No, not vulnerable. <em>Sad</em>. “She’s gone.”</p><p>“Great,” McClain says, not understanding why that makes Blue sad. He keeps looking at Blue, but Blue is looking at his bowl of soup now.</p><p>As if Hunk can sense the lack of eating, he turns away from the kitchen counter and crosses his arms. “You don’t like the food, bro?” he asks, but by the sound of his tone he already knows the answer.</p><p>“Of course I do, bro,” Blue quickly says, grabbing his wood spoon. “I just…”</p><p>“No excuses. You need to be up on your feet tomorrow, and that requires a good meal and a sound night of sleep. Come on now, finish up.”</p><p>There is no arguing with Hunk when he gets this way, and Blue determinedly dips the spoon into the soup.</p><p>---</p><p>Later that night/morning, McClain and Blue decide to share Lance’s room. Lancelot silently follows them to the room, and helps put out the two mattresses on the floor. McClain quickly takes a shower, and then Blue follows. Lancelot sits on the mattress and watches them.</p><p>Ten minutes later, Blue is snoring on Lance’s cot even though the lights are on. McClain found tweezers and a little mirror, and is idly plucking at his eyebrows. Lancelot has removed his cape and boots, but hasn’t made any move to remove his undersuit.</p><p>Instead he sits in front of McClain and idly watches him pluck his eyebrows. McClain is comfortable with this. It reminds him of his two youngest siblings, and the curiosity they had about everything he did.</p><p>“I’m plucking my eyebrows,” McClain explains without having to be asked. “See? I’m removing the hairs so I can keep their shape intact. Now, I like arched and thin brows; it lifts up the face. Do you like it?”</p><p>Lancelot stares a little blankly at him, before he nods.</p><p>“But I see you’re going for the fluffy brow look,” McClain chatters. “Bold choice of you.”</p><p>Lancelot raises one hand and rubs at his eyebrow, like he has never thought about this before. Then he frowns and rubs a little more aggressively.</p><p>“What is it, buddy?” McClain asks. Lancelot points at the tweezers and then points at his brows. “You want to try?”</p><p>Lancelot eagerly nods.</p><p>“Okay, easy peasy. Come closer.” Lancelot gives him a wary side eye and McClain laughs. “I mean it, come closer.” Hesitantly, Lancelot crawls to sit cross-legged in front of McClain. “Now, lean closer to me.”</p><p>Lancelot looks at him, and this close McClain catches something odd about his eyes. They are kind of like looking into Allura’s eyes; instead of the flat, black pupil, Lancelot’s pupils have depth.</p><p>“Now, close your eyes. This is going to hurt a little bit.”</p><p>Lancelot closes his eyes, and McClain raises the tweezers. Used to Shiro’s PTSD-related reflexes, McClain announces: “Alright, I’m going to start now.”</p><p>He starts picking at the hairs, roughly grafting out a shape. It takes a while, the brows bushy in a way McClain’s hasn’t been since he got his own eyebrows plucked as a teenager. “Now, we’re halfway done. I’m just going to polish them, alright?”</p><p>He finishes up the details, his hand quick and efficient. When he finally finishes it’s been nearly an hour, but good craftsmanship takes time. “Go look, and tell me if you want something adjusted, okay?”</p><p>Lancelot quickly goes into the bathroom and looks into the mirror. After a moment, McClain follows him and stands at the open doorway as Lancelot inspects himself.</p><p>Then he turns around to look at McClain. With his eyes wide, he points at himself and asks: “Lance?”</p><p>This boy is going to kill him.</p><p>“Yeah,” McClain gently says. “Lance.”</p><p>Lancelot looks at him, as if waiting to spot a lie, before slowly turning to look at himself in the mirror again. “Lance,” he confirms with a single nod, looking into his own eyes in the mirror.</p><p>----</p><p>Even though no one had asked them to, they get up at 6.30 to join the training. Blue and McClain start out with their extensive skincare routine; an oil cleanse, a sulphate cleanse, a peel cleanse, a tonic, then a serum, an emulsion and lastly their moisturizer. Somewhere, between the sulphate cleanse and peel cleanse, Lancelot starts radiating the need to be included again and Blue silently offers him the oil cleanse. Patiently, the blue Paladine lines up the products in proper order and explains what each of them does, and Lancelot quickly catches up with them, looking bedazzled as he uses the products.</p><p>The skincare routine makes them late per usual, but no one, not even Keith, comments as they strut onto the training deck.</p><p>“Lancelot, Blue, McClain,” Shiro greets and smiles, “great that you decided to join us.”</p><p>McClain stretches. “Thanks, gorgeous. What is the exercise today?”</p><p>Shiro looks a little surprised at this, but continues: “Well, first let me know: What are your skillsets?”</p><p>McClain looks at him. “I’m a sharpshooter. Are you a sharpshooter?” He looks at Blue.</p><p>“I’m a sharpshooter,” Blue confirms, and looks at Lancelot. “Are you a sharpshooter, Lancelot?”</p><p>Lancelot nods as well, but McClain has an inkling that he’s just doing it because Blue and McClain did it.</p><p>“I’m sure you are,” Shiro says, patiently, as if they are missing something obvious and he didn’t want to make them feel stupid about missing it. “But both of you have displayed other strengths as well, unlike this universe’s Lance. McClain, you displayed an attack yesterday that wasn’t based on long-range battle. Lancelot, you’re very good at hand-to-hand combat, Keith told me. And Blue, you’re Altean right?”</p><p>“No,” Blue says, looking confused.</p><p>“Not even a little bit?” Keith asks. “You don’t have to look alien to be one.”</p><p>“No.” Blue sounds way too offended, like it isn’t a natural conclusion to assume he is Altean. “Why would you… oh, the markings, right?”</p><p>His eyes fall to the floor, like he has done every time he shut down so far, and McClain’s been in space too long to not recognize trauma. God, why are everybody so <em>sad</em>?</p><p>“Well, how can you use them? You were glowing during the fight yesterday,” Shiro says, obviously sensing that he shouldn’t ask about their origin.</p><p>Something stricken makes Blue’s eyes widen, and McClain quickly cuts in: “Maybe we should just focus on the sharpshooting, huh?”</p><p>“That’s a good idea, McClain,” Shiro says even though McClain doubts that was what he had intended. “Let’s all work on our strengths today. Hunk, I want you to utilize your strength but refine your technique. You’re doing that with me. McClain, same for you, just with Keith. Pidge, Blue, Allura you’re going to practice on your shooting. Lancelot.” Shiro’s tone becomes gentler. “What would you like to do?”</p><p>Blankly, Lancelot stares at Shiro. Then he looks at McClain, like asking him what to do.</p><p>“He’s not used to having a choice,” Blue supplies, with his back turned as his hands work on pulling up the shoot range.</p><p>“Yeah, of course,” Shiro says and looks at Lancelot like he doesn’t know what to do with him.</p><p>“If I may offer a suggestion,” Coran says, who at some mysterious point has showed up at the doors. That guy needs a bell. “I did a full body scan on our dear Lancelot, and the scan shows that his vocal chords are indeed working, but very rusty. He has the ability to speak, just chooses not to.”</p><p>“Are you sure this is a Lance?” Keith dryly comments.</p><p>“Hey,” McClain calls out, a warning in his tone. The team could make him a laughing stock all they wanted, but they were not going to make one of Lancelot.</p><p>“What?” Keith scowls.</p><p>McClain is about to turn to look at him, his skin itching with the need to put Keith in his place and claim dominance.</p><p>Then Blue puts a calming hand on his shoulder, and McClain chooses to just sniff indignantly at Keith.</p><p>“Lancelot,” Blue says. “Would you like to work with your verbal speech?”</p><p>Lancelot looks at Blue with a little frown, only to throw a dubious glance at Coran.</p><p>“We will be going at your own pace, my boy,” Coran promises. “I don’t expect you to excel at this.”</p><p>Then finally, Lancelot looks at McClain.</p><p>“You can do it, buddy,” McClain assures. “I believe in you.”</p><p>Then finally, Lancelot nods and goes to Coran. Coran smiles and they exit the training deck together. McClain is confident that Lancelot is in good hands.</p><p>The training session starts, and McClain stands opposite of Keith. Usually this was fun; to roughhouse with Keith, occasionally play-fight, and challenging each other’s limits. After McClain finally learned how to utilize the strength of a merman, while not transforming into one, it had been a lot more fun to spar, because he had the advantage of speed and strength. Then Keith had gone ahead and transformed fully into a Galran body, and it hadn’t been so fun anymore. But over time, McClain had come to love it. They didn’t fight for territory or anything; it was just that the instincts that came with being a Galra and a merman urged them when they fought.</p><p>But in this universe, Keith is still in a human body and therefore McClain has to watch out not to hurt him.</p><p>“Don’t hold back,” Keith orders and charges at McClain. With one kung fu like movement Keith totally stole from Shiro, McClain lands on his back, air knocked out of his lungs.</p><p>But it doesn’t end there. Keith tramps down a boot at McClain’s face and McClain narrowly avoids being stomped on.</p><p>“I said don’t hold back,” Keith growls as they circle each other. “I know you’re stronger and quicker than what you might seem.”</p><p>But McClain finds that he doesn’t want to hurt Keith. Not when it is McClain that had the physical advantage. In one movement, Keith pounces like a freaking cat and kicks McClain in the chest before McClain even gets to consider avoiding it. Really, he thinks as he flies through the air and land on his stomach, he should be able to morally take advantage of his superior physique, considering that what Keith lacks in strength and agility he makes up for in actually good fighting technique. The fight goes on and on, McClain getting his ass beat but occasionally dodging a blow or two. <em>Expert </em>fighting technique, he corrects after receiving an elbow to his face.</p><p>“Stop antagonizing me,” Keith hisses, getting more and more agitated the longer the fight goes on.</p><p>“Well, maybe you should teach me your moves, instead of beating my face in,” McClain complains.</p><p>“Now where would the fun in that be?” Keith asks with a smirk, twirling around him and automatically, with a bone-deep muscle memory McClain grabs Keith around his waist. It’s really a dance move he has practiced with his sister a million times through the years, and it’s a far cry from an actual fight move. But Keith seems momentarily surprised, and that gives McClain enough time to sweep Keith off his feet. Keith falls to the floor with a grunt, and McClain quickly mounts him, grabbing Keith’s quick hands around the wrists and pushing them down above Keith’s head.</p><p>Now this position is familiar, and briefly gives McClain flashbacks of Keith crying with pleasure underneath him. It’s not a good idea to daydream though, and this Keith folds his legs against his chest and viciously kicks McClain off him. McClain falls onto his back, and Keith fucking <em>drags</em> him by the feet, and Lord knows what Keith is going to next -</p><p>“Okay,” Shiro says, finality in his voice. “Break it up you two. Keith.”</p><p>As if Shiro is actually reeving him in, Keith falls back, and McClain gets up with a groan. He rubs his back, and says: “What the fuck, Keith.”</p><p>Keith walks – no he <em>prowls</em> back and forth, all the while glaring at McClain. “Why are you looking at me like that?” McClain cries. “You beat my ass, not the other way around.”</p><p>Keith is obviously angry – so angry that he gets that frustrated look in his face, where he’s so overwhelmed with feeling that he doesn’t know how to handle it.</p><p>“Deep breath,” Shiro reminds Keith and finally Keith stops his prowling and points accusatively at McClain.</p><p>“He’s not taking me seriously,” Keith shouts. “He’s not taking me seriously at all!”</p><p>And finally McClain realizes what this is about. Training is one of the most important hobbies to Keith and acting half-assed and making Keith feel like he isn’t a threat at all, is like spitting Keith in the face. Nobody likes to feel small. It hurts Keith's pride, but most of all it makes him feel like he isn’t good at what he tried his best to be good at.</p><p>Of all people, McClain knows that nobody likes to feel like that.</p><p>Shiro looks at McClain and lifts an eyebrow. “Can you explain yourself?”</p><p>The others training is slowly stalling, eyes on the three, and without turning around Shiro commands them to keep training. “McClain?” Shiro repeats.</p><p>“He’s so smol.”</p><p>“Small?” Keith repeats, revolted.</p><p>“No, smol,” McClain corrects, and rambles: “My Keith is… He fully transformed into a Galra last year. He’s tall and big and heals quickly. Physically, we’re equally matched in anything but technique- I don’t know, I just feel bad about all of this.”</p><p>Shiro and Keith stare at him.</p><p>“I became full Galra?” Keith repeats.</p><p>“I don’t need this to be a future problem right now,” Shiro groans and rubs his forehead.</p><p>“Yeah, you had like, an entire second puberty and stuff. You’re taller than Shiro now, and even broader built.” McClain slowly smirks. “And you have Galra ears. It’s actually really cute.”</p><p>“Do <em>not</em> call me cute ever again,” Keith snaps, flustered. “God what is it with you and half-breeds anyway?”</p><p>“Naïve of you think that my dick has any preference.”</p><p>“McClain!” Shiro wheezes like an old man. “Language!”</p><p>“What, he asked,” McClain replies with a leer.</p><p>“Wait, go back to the whole Galra puberty thing,” Keith says looking a little stressed. “How did it happen? Why did it happen?”</p><p>“Uh…”</p><p>Keith grabs McClain’s shoulders and shakes him. “Talk, Lance!”</p><p>“Don’t worry, man,” McClain squeaks, his head bouncing back and forth. “There were certain factors that triggered your mutation that I don’t think you’ll have to deal with here.”</p><p>“Factors?” Keith narrows his eyes, stilling for a moment, before he continues to violently shake McClain. “Tell me more.”</p><p>“I can tell you more without you shaking me, thank you,” McClain says and pushes Keith away from him. “Jeez.” He straightens his crooked shoulder plate. “It was a mix of prolonged exposure to certain pheromones and acute stress responses. However, you should be good.”</p><p>“Good?” Keith repeats. “What does that even mean?”</p><p>McClain shrugs with a sheepish grin.</p><p>“Answer me, you asshole,” Keith hisses, lashing out at McClain again, this time stopped by Shiro.</p><p>McClain nervously steps back. Then he sighs and steps forward again. Keith stills, as McClain reaches out to him. Only when he is sure that Keith knows what’s going to happen, does he reach out and cup Keith’s jaw. Keith narrows his eyes, ready to bite. Gently, McClain circles his thumb on Keith’s scar, before letting go.</p><p>“How did you get this?” McClain asks.</p><p>Now Shiro is narrowing his eyes. None of them answer.</p><p>“When you were battling Shiro’s evil clone?” McClain guesses. “Did you ever think about how you won that battle?”</p><p>“I won <em>fairly</em>.”</p><p>But the reality is a far different matter. McClain can smell the smallest stages of mutation. He knows because he remembers the day he met Keith, and Keith had smelled completely human back then. Subtly, it has changed now.</p><p>But McClain can’t say that he can smell the difference. Voltron already knows too much about him. And maybe Keith had always been slightly mutated. Things aren’t the same here as they are in his own universe.</p><p>“I would suggest that Coran takes some blood samples,” McClain carefully suggests. “If you’ve been mutating, he’ll be able to tell the difference from when you just arrived here.”</p><p>Keith looks down. He never learned how to school his expressions, and for the people that knew him he was an open book.</p><p>“Hey, you can hold this mutation at bay for an entire lifetime,” McClain softly assures. He’s about to send a flourish of calming pheromones when he realizes that that isn’t his place anymore. He smiles bitter sweetly. “Besides, you don’t have the exposure of mating pheromones that my Keith had.”</p><p>“Mating pheromones?” Shiro says, his eyes widening. The arm he has in front of Keith raises up and grabs Keith by the shoulder. “But he’s just a baby. He’s too young to have sex.”</p><p>Someone snorts in the background.</p><p>“Shiro, I’m 19,” Keith sulks, but he looks a little more assured at that. “But you’re saying that if I ever… find somebody to be with and I’m a Paladin at the same time, I’m going to mutate?”</p><p>“No, the pheromones are of a very specific kind,” McClain rushes to say.</p><p>“What kind?”</p><p>Here comes the tricky part. McClain looks at Keith who’s scowling, then at Shiro who has a look of concern on his face. He makes a grimace, is about to talk, then says “Nope” and takes off.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Let me know what you think ^^</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://moonrose001.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wherein Lance finally speaks up, the team is up to something and conspiracies happen.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s like the years of peace don’t mean anything at all. Like all of this time he had been having a wonderful dream about being back on Earth, surrounded by family with the feeling of security, and then he wakes up.</p><p>Back in space.</p><p>Being a Paladin.</p><p>Blue clenches his Bayard. His hands are shaking and they have been for a while. Old memories resurface, old memories that don’t feel old at all.</p><p>He’s back to training, back to the void looming outside the ship. Back to the lack of bird songs in the morning, the hardness of the cot, the sterile emptiness of the hallways.</p><p>Back to looking at Allura and imagining all that could’ve happened, if she had stayed.</p><p>He’d had 12 days with her.</p><p>12 days where he gave her their first kiss underneath a night sky, surrounded by leaves and glowing embers. Where she stood behind him, closing her hands around his holding a broadsword. Her breath on his neck, and a silence that expanded as they breathed together. Her sitting on the floor in front of his cot as he struggled to braid her long, thick hair. Her trying to teach him an Altean dance, and him stumbling, not because he was a bad dancer or a slow learner, but because his knees always went weak when they were this close. When he had for once tried to seduce her in a mystical, tall-dark-stranger way, and she had laughed at his face. She knew him well enough, to know that wasn’t him. And she didn’t want anyone that wasn’t him, she said, even though Blue had a hard time believing it till this day. He remembered the first time he had touched her; slid his hand down between her collar bones, afraid that her light would burn him. Remembered the first time they made love, her dark skin against his, a beautiful line between caramel and mahogany. How he looked down at her naked body, and hadn’t been filled with desire, but with awe. How he had moved in her, her legs wrapped around his waist. It had been the first time for both of them.</p><p>They had had 12 days. God, they had been so young.</p><p>And now he has to look at her. Every fucking day in this fucking ship.</p><p>Blue had been nothing but a rebound to Allura, but he hadn’t ever learned how to love anyone else after her.</p><p>----</p><p>After the training session, Blue leaves the room without talking to anyone. He feels his insides as tight and coiled, his skin a cloth stretched to the limit. He doesn’t consciously decide where to go, but it feels right when he ends up at the infirmary. He enters and walks over to the chamber, where Lance is sleeping.</p><p>For a moment, he just glares at his clueless subject. How dare he look so peaceful, when Blue’s insides are a turmoil?</p><p>“Why,” he asks. “Why me? Why not any other Lance?”</p><p>After all, he doesn’t have any powers like the two other Lances’ have. No supernatural strength, no assassin-like killing instinct. All he did was glow sometimes. All he did was being tired.</p><p>Lance stays asleep.</p><p>“You fucking asshole,” Blue mumbles. “Do you know what this is doing to me?”</p><p>No reaction. Like Lance is mocking him.</p><p>Uselessly, Blue punches the glass and gasps as his fist freezes against the glass. He feels the power behind it. Uselessly, Blue pulls at his hand, but it’s like pulling a strong magnet off steel. Then a soft little wave streams out of the glass, and wraps around Blue’s fist. It feels surprisingly pleasant.</p><p>Blue looks up from his fist and realizes that Lance’s eyes are open.</p><p>He is still in the same position, but his eyes are deep and blue and white at the same time. Blue whines, pulling at his fist as the water creeps up his arm.</p><p>In panic, he screams.</p><p>----</p><p>When Blue and his team had come back from the war seven years ago, they all had to go through medical examinations. Blue had been delighted, because medical examinations were familiar and human.</p><p>He had bathed in the attention given to his state of mind; for once, he didn’t have to suck it up, stop complaining and go be a Paladin. Someone was finally listening to how he was actually feeling, and he relished in the attention.<br/>To this day he still remembers how he had sat down in the green lounge chair during his first session. The therapist had started his questions, and immediately Blue had started complaining about his time as a Paladin. Complained about getting up early for training, complained about the food goo, complained about the lack of social media, his limited supply of skin care and the surprising amounts of cleaning there was. At the third session, Blue had noticed that during his complaining, his hands had started shaking. At the fourth session, they were still shaking but he had continued: He talked about the fondness Shiro only seemed to harbour towards Pidge, the Princess and Keith, and how the Black Lion had ended up choosing Keith as its Paladin, even though Keith didn’t want it and even though Blue would’ve done anything to have that position. Blue talked about always being on the brink of succeeding, but that he always fell short.</p><p>At the sixth session, Blue’s teeth had started chattering. He talked about how he had been homesick a lot, but eventually that ache had braided itself into boredom and he didn’t know which one was which anymore. At the seventh session, his words had poured, sounding desperate. He talked about the void of space, about being truly powerless while suspended out there.</p><p>The room of the therapist had decreased in size by the tenth session. He confesses to how he apparently had always been the dumb one on the team, and how everybody had known. He thought he had been doing his best. If his best wasn’t good enough, then why was he even there to begin with. Haha, that was just a joke. Of course he had to be there, the team couldn’t stand a chance without him. Easy, he had just been joking.</p><p>At the twentieth session, his pour of words had finally drained. His arms had been wrapped around his knees, his eyes on the floor. As if knowing what would be coming, the therapist had silently offered him a box of tissues. Blue had tried to send the therapist a confident smile. They had just stared at each other for ten minutes, when Blue started to cry. But after all of the words, there was nothing left. He couldn’t talk. And as he cried, he realized that he was crying quietly. Like he was hiding from a predator, terrified to make a sound.</p><p>At the twentieth session, he confessed, that he didn’t want to die.</p><p>He admitted to the memories that always came back to him when he at least expected it; the snapshots of battle fields that still haunted his dreams. How he still had his Bayard with him at all times, how every little unaccounted for sound was a threat and made his heartbeat raise. How he was here with his family, with his team, with his friends, with his blue waters and candyfloss clouds and yet, despite everything, he was still out <em>there</em>.</p><p>“You’re not out there anymore, Lance,” the therapist had said when Blue had confessed to this.</p><p>“Doc,” he gasped. “I never left.”</p><p>----</p><p>Agura’s head snaps up. He’s been looking at pictures for the past one and half hour. Coran had made him write and spell, to check what language Agura is actually speaking since the universal translators always made everything sound the same.</p><p>After Coran found out that Agura spoke Galran, he had showed a picture of a foreign, but anthropomorphic race of alien, who was grinning broadly.</p><p>“They’re happy,” Coran explains and then draws up another picture of similar alien who’s glaring into the camera, their teeth bared. “Threatened.”</p><p>Finally, he draws up a picture of the yellow Paladin, who’s crying.</p><p>“What is he feeling?”</p><p>Sad. Agura knows this. He’s not an idiot, he understands the world. He just has a hard time translating it into words. He opens his mouth, only to clear his throat. He tries again. “S…” His voice is raspy. The old, familiar fear of punishment surges through him, like it always does when he speaks, but he has gotten used to that feeling. Gotten used to getting the job done, even when it hurt. “Sad.”</p><p>“Yes,” Coran says, his eyes brightening with delight. “And what is his name?”</p><p>At this, Agura narrows his eyes. Is this a trick question? After all, the yellow Paladin’s name is different in this universe than it was in Agura’s. “Hemana,” he replies.</p><p>Coran crooks his head. “Is that his name in your universe?”</p><p>Agura nods.</p><p>“What is his name here, then?”</p><p>“H… Hunk.” The word is unfamiliar in his mouth and he spends a moment chewing on it for a second.</p><p>“Good,” Coran praises. He switches the picture to the Blue Lion. “What colour is this Lion?”</p><p>They go like this for a while, Coran not forcing Agura to say anything but one word at a time.</p><p>That’s when Agura hears a piercing scream cut its way through the hallways of the Castle, and he stands up, quickly leaving because he knows that voice.</p><p>---</p><p>All of the Paladins had been going through mental examinations, but out of all of them, Blue had been the only one diagnosed with chronic PTSD. It had felt like a failure to him. Like he was weak or something. There Shiro and Keith and Pidge and Hunk had been. Already making plans about the future, and how to continuously help save the universe in ways only they could do. And here Blue was, barely able to get out of bed in the morning.</p><p>“You have so much to offer, my boy,” Coran had said, on one of his visits. He had patted Blue’s hand. Blue hadn’t left his hometown for two months, and had ignored all calls from his previous team. It had made Coran worried enough to eventually come and visit him.</p><p>Blue had just looked at him. “No,” he had said and his lungs had started burning as his body ceased up. “I don’t. And even if I had, it’s not your place to take. Not anymore. If you’re just here to ask me for one last sacrifice, the answer is no, Coran.”</p><p>And then he had asked Coran to leave. And when Hunk turned up next, he had asked him to leave as well. And he kept asking people to leave until they stopped coming back.</p><p>-----</p><p>For a minute, there’s only the sound of Blue’s quick gasps. His eyes are scrunched closed and when he realizes this, a rush of adrenaline washes over his body. The once familiar taste of terror-induced bile crawls its way up his throat, and with a startling acuteness, he realizes that if he doesn’t open his eyes, he will not know what is coming. Survivor’s instinct makes him open his eyes.</p><p>The starry night of the astral plane greets him, his knees and feet resting on black waters. In front of him, Lance stands. He’s looking down at Blue, looking like Blue did 7 years ago. Young and old, fragile and strong at the same time.</p><p>“Because only you can do it,” he answers. “I’ve looked for you in countless of universes.”</p><p>It is the last thing Blue wants to hear. “I’m not a Paladin anymore.”</p><p>Lance smiles. “You’ll always be a Paladin, man,” he replies. “It’s not fair, but the fate of the world is in the palms of your hands.”</p><p>Blue’s lips tremble. “I can’t. Not again.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Lance says and he sounds genuine. “But only you can do this. You and McClain and Lancelot. I wouldn’t do this if I had any other choice. But I have to.”</p><p>“But –“</p><p>Lance’s head snaps to the side, as if he heard something. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”</p><p>And with that, Blue tumbles into darkness.</p><p>----</p><p>When Agura arrives to the infirmary, a big hand of water has swallowed either Blue or McClain. It’s hard to see. Wary, because he has seen magic and knows its power, he nears the cocoon.</p><p>He can hear Coran come running after behind him.</p><p>“Oh no, Lance, what have you done?” Coran cries and makes way towards the cocoon, only to be stopped by Agura.</p><p>After a few dobashes, the water falls to the ground, dropping the figure to the floor. Agura moves closer, and confirms that it is Blue. Then he jumps forwards and grabs Blue underneath the armpits and quickly drags him as far as possible away from the glowing chamber.</p><p>A tick later, McClain arrives out of breath. “What happened?” he asks. “I heard someone scream.”</p><p>Agura wordlessly points at the chamber, which has gone from a glowing calm to almost aggressive throbs of light.</p><p>“We need to leave,” McClain decides.</p><p>“No, he’s in distress,” Coran protests. “I have to do something!”</p><p>He is about to run over to the chamber controls, when McClain grabs his shoulder. “Coran, no. We don’t know what this could do to you.”</p><p>“He needs my help!”</p><p>The throbs are turning into bright hot flashes, and an alarm goes off in the room, and from the sound of it, the lockdown protocol is booting. Which means they do not have time to do this right now.  </p><p>“Come on,” McClain says, pulling at Coran’s shoulder. When Coran doesn’t move, his eyes stuck on Lance’s figure, McClain uses his strength against the Altean and drags Coran out by force, and Agura follows, holding Blue in a fireman’s carry. The doors slide shut behind them, and it’s just in time because the lockdown protocol is initiated a second later.</p><p>----</p><p>When Blue comes back to consciousness, he’s lying on the kitchen floor. Confused he sits up, and he hears Hunk say: “Woah, slow down, buddy.”</p><p>Blue squints up at him. The table is right besides him, blocking out his view of the room. He’s still wearing his armour, so he hadn’t been in the healing pod. “Why are we in the kitchen?”</p><p>“Because the infirmary is on lockdown,” McClain answers from somewhere behind the table. From the sound of it and the smell in the room, he is eating breakfast. “You really got him agitated, huh? Coran says, that that’s the first time there’s been brain activity since he fell asleep.”</p><p>“Huh?” Blue says and then it all comes back to him. “Right. I talked with him.”</p><p>“You did?” Hunk straightens with hope. “We should call the others.”</p><p>Five minutes later, the team has joined them in the kitchen and Blue is sitting at the table and holding a cup of tea.</p><p>“It wasn’t much,” Blue hesitantly starts. “It might even have been a weird dream. He almost seemed busy, in a way. But basically he said that he had been looking for us – me, Lancelot, and McClain – across universes to help him save the universe. He said he didn’t have any other choice.”</p><p>“Save the universe from what?” Keith immediately asks. “Zarkon and Haggar are gone. We’ve only been dealing with strays.”</p><p>“He didn’t say anything about that. That’s basically it. Then he suddenly looked away, and said he had to go.”</p><p>“To where?” Keith asks.</p><p>“I don’t know.”</p><p>“Why you?”</p><p>Blue feels a twitch in his right eye, and it’s Shiro who says: “Keith, he just said he doesn’t know.”</p><p>“Thank you, Shiro,” Blue gratefully sighs.</p><p>“How come he chose to say that to you, though?” Shiro then continues to ask.</p><p>“<em>Shiro</em>,” the room groans.</p><p>Shiro smiles awkwardly.  </p><p>But Blue’s stomach is full of dread. It had been easier, when he had just assumed that the whole thing was a mistake or a coincidence. But his presence had a purpose, and not just any purpose. The universe never asked for something small from him; it is always needed saving.</p><p>The imaginary exit in Blue’s mind disappears.</p><p>“Hey,” Pidge says. “Your hands are shaking.”</p><p>Blue realizes this, and he slowly puts the cup on the table. The whole room seems to quiet as he focuses on his breathing exercises. But even when he is done, he feels a knot in his throat. Ashamed, he looks down.</p><p>“Hey, it’s okay,” McClain says with way more confidence than what is warranted. “We’ve got this.”</p><p>But it’s arrogance. Naivety even.</p><p>“Easy for you to say,” Blue says, the bitter feeling strong in his voice. “In this universe, all seven of us are standing. Do you think that’s the case in all of the universes? In mine?”</p><p>The silence becomes even heavier.</p><p>“We all know that our lives are at stake.” Shiro’s voice is quiet. “But that’s what it means to be a Paladin sometimes.”</p><p>“Don’t give me that,” Blue huffs and he can’t even feel angry. “Don’t make this out to be a story of heroes. We were a bunch of kids suddenly having the responsibility of an entire universe, and getting to decide who gets to live or not. Where we have to take lives in a way that was never our place to do so. This story isn’t heroic. It’s sad. And it’s always been just that. Sad.”</p><p>There’s a moment of silence, and then McClain says: “Do you need to go home, Blue?”</p><p>Blue looks at his cup. “I can’t now, can I?” His smile cynical. “So let’s get this over with.”</p><p>“Well, first we need a lead,” Allura decides, and Blue can tell that she’s relieved that they don’t have to discuss the morality of their roles as Paladins any further. “What is it Lance needs us to do?”</p><p>“That might be too wide of a question,” Shiro says, his eyes a little speculative. “Perhaps we should start with figuring out, what Lancelot, McClain and Blue’s roles are? If they’re assets, we need to know what their strengths are.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Keith says. “What the fuck are you, McClain?”</p><p>“I said that’s none of your business, Kogane,” McClain snaps back.</p><p>“Hey, Shiro just said that we need to find out what good you are for! That means you have to tell us!”</p><p>They’re interrupted by the beep of a message incoming, and they all still.</p><p>“Incoming,” a familiar voice that Blue can’t quite place, says. “Meet you at the hangar.”</p><p>----</p><p>Blue can’t be surprised when he sees the Generals disembark the ship. However, McClain lunges forward and Blue shoots out an arm and grabs his sleeve. McClain is strong though and drags Blue a couple of feet, before Agura also grabs him and pulls him back.</p><p>They stand back as the Paladins greet the Generals, silently observing.</p><p>“Hey, everybody!” Ezor greets cheerfully as always, only to stop as she sees the Lances. Her eyes brighten with curiosity and not taking anything in fucking consideration (like McClain) she nears them. “Interesting!”</p><p>“Hello Ezor,” Blue greets back. “How are you?”</p><p>“Good, thank you,” she giggles.</p><p>“Paladins, what is going on?” Acxa asks.</p><p>“Lance’s work,” Keith reports back.</p><p>“Oh?” Zethrid says, dragging all of the baggage.</p><p>“Oh, this one looks positively <em>murderous</em>,” Ezor says with glee, sticking her face right in front of McClain’s.</p><p>“We can test that theory,” Blue smiles and Ezor pulls away, giving him an offended look.</p><p>“Are you Altean?” she asks.</p><p>“Sorry, but no.”</p><p>Ugh. 7 years later and an entire redemption arc, and Blue still felt like jabbing her in the eyes.</p><p>Ezor is still smiling, her eyes wide and empty, as her eyes move to Lancelot. “Ah, surprising!” she yelps. “Narti, there’s an Agura here!”</p><p>Lancelot doesn’t flinch, but something seems to die in his eyes.</p><p>“That’s it,” McClain snaps and violently surges out of Lancelot and Blue’s hold. Blue feels like he did what he could’ve done, and steps back. Lancelot is holding McClain by the shoulder, and Ezor goes invisible with an excited squeal.</p><p>“McClain!” Allura yells. “What did I tell you?”</p><p>“Alright, alright,” McClain says, and stops fighting to get out of Lancelot’s hold. “I get it. Don’t mess up your alliances, blah blah.”</p><p>“Good.” Allura’s purses her lips. “Lancelot, you can let go of him.”</p><p>Lancelot looks at her, and then lets go of McClain.</p><p>McClain sighs, and blinks slowly. “You know, you are in no position to give Lancelot orders, Princess,” he says, and looks at the Princess. Not with hate or spite. Just with a sort of sadness.</p><p>Still looking at the Princess, he lunges forwards. There’s a weird clicking sound and suddenly McClain is crouching on the floor with his hands tied together.</p><p>“Let go of her!” Zethrid yells as Ezor becomes visible on the ground, her neck between McClain’s hands.</p><p>McClain holds her down for a second, before he lets go and gets up.</p><p>“And you’re in no fucking position to order me around either,” McClain mutters, but his eyes are burning once he looks at Allura. “Lance called me, not you. So sit tight, and let me do my job as I like it. Princess.”</p><p>It’s odd. McClain has a weird need to establish dominance and he does so by establishing physical power. It’s an urge Blue never has had himself, and one Lancelot hasn’t presented either.</p><p>“So mean,” Ezor whines, standing in-between Narti and Zethrid now that both look poised to strike at any time. She’s rubbing her neck.</p><p>“Well, you started it,” Blue sighs. “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”</p><p>“Is nobody going to ask how the fuck he does that?” Keith incredulously asks and puts his hands in the air.</p><p>Nobody replies, but Blue has an inkling of how McClain is doing that. And by the look on Hunk’s face, he has so too. But it isn’t Blue’s place to say. After all, only island people knows not to ever upset merfolk.</p><p>----</p><p>“So, any updates?” Shiro asks, leaning back on the control panel behind him. The walk from the hangar to the Bridge has been tense and awkward, everybody stepping lightly around each other.</p><p>“No. Lotor is nowhere to be found in that galaxy either.” Acxa has her arms crossed as she says it. In Blue’s reality, Acxa had changed her hair after she joined the Blades. The new cut had looked better on her, he notices absently.</p><p>“Why are we looking for Lotor?” Blue asks. “What is his role to play in this universe?”</p><p>“He’s also an ally,” Allura quickly answers. Smoothly. Too smoothly, like she has been preparing for this. And that makes sense, considering the reaction McClain had towards the Generals. But something about it doesn’t seem right. “When his father died, he took the throne and brought harmony to the galaxies. He has had an irreplaceable role in the unity between Galra and the rest of the universe.”</p><p>Even more bothered, Blue narrows his eyes at her, feeling like she is leaving something out. But nothing she said seems out of place. After all, in Blue’s universe, that had been what Lotor wanted until he was corrupted by the dark quintessence, just like his mother had been. Blue debates whether he needs to make further inquiries, and decides not to. If the Princess is hiding something, Voltron must be backing her up. And unlike McClain, Blue has learned that he doesn’t need to throw his weight around to be a threat.</p><p>“Okay,” he answers, after a too long pause. He looks at the Generals, and by the intense looks in their eyes, there is definitely something Allura is leaving out.</p><p>“When did he disappear?” McClain asks. He has pulled a little file out of his pocket, and is polishing his nails. He almost looks bored. But only almost.</p><p>“The same day Lance went to sleep,” Shiro answers. McClain looks up at him, his eyes containing the same pensiveness as Blue’s.</p><p>Something is wrong. There’s something they’re holding back.</p><p>Blue isn’t asking the right question.</p><p>“And what relation do Lance and Lotor have to each other?” Blue carefully asks. He has a feeling that what he is asking is crucial, and the true colours of the Paladins would show through their answer.</p><p>It’s quiet for a little bit, before Pidge says: “Lance was the one who got us all introduced.”<br/>“Yeah, they met a bar,” Hunk continues. “Like a month after we had started fighting Lotor. But because Lance and Lotor were always wearing headgear, they didn’t recognize each other at first.”</p><p>“Great,” McClain says, and he returns to his filing. The final note in his voice resounds in Blue’s mind. The team is officially omitting something. “So what do we do now?”</p><p>“Well, we might as well keep looking for Lotor, until Lance tells us what he wants to do with you,” Allura suggests. “But why would Lance remove Lotor from our grasps in these times?”</p><p>“To protect him,” Keith very easily answers. “That must be why.”</p><p>Interesting.</p><p> “Well, where would he put him?” Pidge asks, wrinkling her nose. “Assuming that Lance hid him intentionally, there must be a reason. There must be a role that Lotor plays.”</p><p>“If only Lance was able to tell us more,” Allura sighs.</p><p>Blue chews on this information for a second, before the idea comes to him. “I think I might have a guess to where Lotor is,” he says. “In my universe, we have a thing called the Quantum Realm. It was where Lotor hid the surviving Alteans, and also a place where space and time lapse into each other. If Lotor is there, we can find him and it might also give us time to regroup, if the world saving is on a timer. Keith spent two years in there, but he was only missing for a month.”</p><p>It’s quiet for a little bit, before Pidge shrugs and says: “Why not? I could use the samples, and it could bring us closer to understanding what is going on with Lance.”</p><p>“Maybe we should just send the Generals,” Shiro gingerly suggests. “Lance is quite unstable right now. You all know what happened the first time.”</p><p>“What happened the first time?” McClain asks and reaches Lancelot the file. Lancelot, who has been paying more attention to McClain filing his nails than the meeting, takes the file and hesitantly starts copying McClain.</p><p>“Well, because he became one with the quintessence, he could travel through space and time,” Pidge explains. “And now he can apparently travel through alternate universes as well. But I don’t see the quantum realm being able to warp Lance’s existence. Quantum physics isn’t my field though.”</p><p>“I don’t know, everybody,” Hunk sighs. “If Lance did see the end of the world coming, and he saw Lotor’s role in it, who are we to meddle? Maybe we should trust him on this one.”</p><p>The team discusses for a long enough time, that McClain sits down and starts helping Lancelot to correct his nails from his initial attempt at shaping them.</p><p>Blue carefully monitors the situation.</p><p>“Okay, it’s settled then. We’re heading towards the Quantum Realm, to see if it will hold any answers,” Allura finally decides. “I would suggest you all go rest before dinner. Generals, you know the way to your quarters.”</p><p>Blue gives her the coordinates and they all disband.</p><p>----</p><p>The entire way to their room, McClain complains about having to work with the Generals. Blue listens half-heartedly, but when they eventually walk into their room, Blue finally looks at him.</p><p>“They’re lying about something,” Blue says.</p><p>“Yeah, they sure fucking are,” McClain agrees. “I could sense that. What about you, Lancelot, did you sense something? Were they lying?”</p><p>Lancelot nods, distracted by his newly polished nails.</p><p>“If they’re playing or using us, we need to keep our cards tight as well,” Blue says. “But you’re showing all of yours, McClain. You need to stop.”</p><p>“No I’m not!”</p><p>“You were strong yesterday, and today you were clicking. No doubt that Voltron didn’t notice that.”</p><p>“You… heard.”</p><p>“Yes, I heard. Which means they heard as well.”</p><p>Now Lancelot is looking curiously up at them. “Lance?” he asks, looking at McClain.</p><p>“And I suspect, that Hunk knows too,” Blue continues. “Or at least has an inkling. Keep your head down.”</p><p>“Okay,” McClain sulks.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Pidge…” McClain rasps. “I need to go.”</p><p>“McClain, stay in position,” Shiro commands.</p><p>“Board the Lion and go save the village,” McClain gasps. He starts to crawls into the water. “Take Lancelot and Blue. Go. Now.”</p><p>“McClain, get inside the fucking Lion,” Keith screams as McClain’s figure submerges in the water. “Now is not the time to argue!”</p><p>“It’s okay, Keithy boy,” Pidge hears McClain say, his voice barely a whisper. “They can come for me. The fuckers are in my territory now.”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On the way to the Quantum Realm, they plan to stop by a planet to get supplies. The team seems to be happy about having a concrete plan instead of idly floating around space.</p><p>But the logic is lost on McClain. So the team trusts Lance about bringing three of his counter parts, but doesn’t trust Lance about hiding Lotor’s location?</p><p>He brings it up with Blue, and Blue agrees. He even expresses his concern to the team, but the team has already made up their mind, for the lack of something better to do.</p><p>But there is something even more concerning than bad planning, McClain soon realizes.</p><p>It’s been five days, and Lancelot has yet to have taken a shower.</p><p>And it was starting to show. Or rather, smell.</p><p>“Hey, buddy. Bud,” McClain says and puts an arm around Lancelot’s shoulder as they leave the training room. This is where McClain and Blue would usually go shower in the communal showers solely because they are closer, and Lancelot would sneak off. But not today. “I want to show you something.”</p><p>Blue, who has agreed and helped with the plan, goes along with them. In Lance’s room, there’s a stash of bath and body products. If Lance is anything like McClain and Blue, he would have used these products very sparingly while being in space. But McClain and Blue figured that their use would go to a fair cause.</p><p>“See, this one is rose,” McClain says, picking up a shower gel. He opens the cap, and smells it exaggeratedly before giving it to Lancelot, who mimics it. He points at the shampoo and then the conditioner. “And these ones are gardenia and orange blossom. Try smelling them.”</p><p>Knowing that McClain is up to something, Lancelot warily takes a sniff.</p><p>Blue turns on the shower, and Lancelot flinches.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” McClain quickly sooths. “Blue is going to use these products. Right, Blue?”</p><p>Blue nods, peels off his armour and walks into the shower. The door is half open, so Lancelot can watch him as he uses the products, while a thick mist of scents fills the bedroom.</p><p>About 30 minutes later when McClain has explained the body scrub as well as the body butter, McClain gives Lancelot a towel and gently ushers him to the door. “Take your time.”</p><p>He closes the door behind him, and looks at Blue. “Did you think it worked?”</p><p>“Well, we showed him. Now he gets to decide whether it’s something he would like,” Blue says, applying almond oil into his damp locks.</p><p>----</p><p>“So, let’s do a recap,” Shiro says. “Coran, go ahead.”</p><p>Coran draws up the holograms and two three-dimensional body scans show in the air between the circle of Paladins and Generals.</p><p>Hunk feels kind of bad that they’re doing this behind the Lances’ backs’ just like he feels bad about not telling the Lances the entire story. But he knows that the team is right. Blue is an unwilling participant, McClain is a wild card and Lancelot is unreliable. The team really can’t give them all the information, until they’re sure that they have the Lances’ loyalty.</p><p>“Thank you, lad,” Coran says and points at the first figure. “Our first subject is Blue. As you’ve noticed he has the Altean markings, but is not an Altean. My scans show that he is gathering quintessence like a normal Altean would, but, has trouble releasing it thus the quintessence poisoning.”</p><p>Balls of light are throbbing through Blue’s form like chakras. The hologram visualizes the hot spots inhaling quintessence, but exhaling it much slower.</p><p>“How is it possible for him to do this, without being Altean?” Allura asks.</p><p>“There are myths, Princess, but I can’t assure you of their reliability,” Coran sighs. “The stories say, that an Altean can pass on a part of themselves to another life force. Think of it as what King Alfor did to the Castle prior his death. He uploaded his memories to create an artificial self through them. Well, legends say that when Altean fell in battle they could pass on their powers to their brethren.”</p><p>“But who would transfer themselves to him?” Acxa asks.</p><p>“Well, he said that it was a privilege that all seven of us are here, right?” Hunk asks. “Which means someone in his universe, have died. Coran and Allura are the only Alteans. One of them must’ve done it to him.”</p><p>“What a tragedy,” Allura sighs, nervously eyeing her counsellor. “I cannot imagine.”</p><p>“Well, he didn’t have to,” Hunk says, a little pointedly.</p><p>“Does his… Alteaness might have something to do with him being able to communicate with Lance?” Keith asks. “Princess, have you tried?”</p><p>“No, I must admit that hasn’t crossed my mind,” she replies. “Perhaps I should give it a try once the lockdown has been revoked.”</p><p>“There’s also another peculiar detail concerning his quintessence.” Coran throws up a chart of Altean numbers that are changing so quickly it’s hard to keep up. “This is a measurement chart of his quintessence manipulation.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Quintessence manipulation. It’s something all of you can do, when you are changing the shapes of your Bayards. So this is Blue’s level of quintessence manipulation. This is Lance’s.” Another chart shows up, the flickering of numbers much slower. “I’ve compared his chart with all the Paladins, previous as well as current. And the only one I can find that shares his levels is Zarkon.”</p><p>Hunk leans back, remembering how Zarkon swiftly changed the black Bayard from one form to another as he was chasing Red and Keith.</p><p>“So. Quintessence is his forte,” Keith summarizes. “Is there anything else?”</p><p>“Well, his combat skills are also slightly above our Lance’s, but that is to be expected concerning that he’s older. But none besides those. Now, Lancelot is a lot more interesting.”</p><p>Coran pushes away the charts, and draws the second body scan closer. “At first glance, I didn’t find any particular differences, but then…” He clicks on the body scan and zooms in. A video of small transparent balls comes to life. “These are his cells. But what are these?”</p><p>Small, bug-like creatures are attached to each cell. Hunk squints at it. “I think it’s nanites. Nano-robots,” he informs and when the Generals give him confused glances, he explains: “Teeny tiny robots that are usually used to attack cancerous cells or damaged tissue.”</p><p>“What is cancerous?” Coran asks.</p><p>“Cancer? Don’t you guys have cancer. Come on. Abnormal cells that attack the healthy ones? Can lead to death?”</p><p>“Oh, we do have that!” Coran exclaims. “It shortens the life span of an Altean drastically.”</p><p>Knowing that Alteans can live up to 1500 years old, Hunk chooses to be sceptic of this.</p><p>“Anyways, what do these nanites do?” Keith impatiently asks.</p><p>“Well, anything at this point, at least on Earth. It can slow down the aging process, regrow limps through stem cell interaction, and insure the development of a preborn infant.”</p><p>“And, why exactly have you not made any nanites for us yet?” Ezor asks. “Those sound swell.”</p><p>“Hey, it’s very complicated technology,” Hunk defensively argues.</p><p>“But together we could do it,” Pidge claims smugly.</p><p>“So, he can regenerate?” Shiro asks.</p><p>“It could be anything. I would need a blood sample to see how the nanites are interacting.” Coran sighs. “If this is a body modification that the druids are responsible for, the nanites are probably some sort of weaponizing enhancement. But by the way the nanites are connected to his nervous system, they are probably the reason why certain orders and key words can take control of his actions and punish him if he doesn’t follow through with them.”</p><p>“Like what that Blade of Marmora did,” Keith says. “Where the word made Lancelot electrocute himself.”</p><p>“Yes.” Coran looks serious. “Besides that, his quintessence manipulation is at normal rates, and we haven’t seen further of his combat skills besides when he fought Keith, Allura and Hunk.”</p><p>“Then what about McClain?” Keith asks, a little eager.</p><p>“I haven’t performed a body scan of him, yet,” Coran says.</p><p>“Dammit.” Keith says, sulking. “I’m going to find out.”</p><p>“Did anybody else notice that he was clicking?” says Zethrid, who has been quiet so far. Hunk remembers how giant and sensitive her ears must be.</p><p>Right then and there, Hunk makes a conscious decision not to say something. First of all, because McClain wishes to keep it private, and even an alternative reality Lance, is a Lance and all of this conspiring business feels wrong in the first place, but mostly because Hunk is an island boy and island people<em> don’t fuck with merfolk</em>.</p><p>“I wonder what that means,” Zethrid continues. “Does your species do that normally?”</p><p>“No, but certain animals do. It’s called echo-location, where an animal locates objects by reflecting sound.”</p><p>“Creepy,” Ezor comments.</p><p>“So, is he like, a vampire?” Keith’s eyes light up. “That would explain the clicking and the strength. And besides, there is no sunlight out here.” He narrows his eyes, and starts to smile slyly. “We should threaten him with sunlight. That would teach him.”</p><p>“Hey man, that’s not cool,” Hunk says, and Keith’s smile drops.</p><p>“You seem to have reverted to whatever you and Lance were, before you became friends,” Pidge notices.</p><p>“So, a jaded magician, a mindless mercenary and an aggressive superhuman,” Shiro hums. “I wonder what Lance is planning with them.”</p><p>“Maybe, Lance isn’t planning anything with them,” Acxa thinks out loud. “Maybe we’re been thinking about this wrong. Lance doesn’t necessarily have a mission for the Lances; maybe they are just assets that Lance thought we needed. Maybe it’s our job to mobilize them.”</p><p>“How?” Ezor asks with obvious irritation.</p><p>“Maybe we should just tell them everything,” Hunk suggests. “About Lotor, the intel we’ve been getting?”</p><p>“And why would we do that?” Keith asks.</p><p>“<em>Because</em> they might know something,” Hunk replies. “Maybe Lance called them because they know something that we don’t.”</p><p>“So, let’s put them in a sleep pod. Like we did with Sendak.”</p><p>Hunk groans.</p><p>“Why do you trust them so much?” Keith snaps.</p><p>“Because if Lance trusts them, we should trust them as well,” Hunk snaps back.</p><p>“That’s a good point, Hunk,” Shiro notices. “I still say that we should take the time to feel them out. Meeting dismissed.”</p><p>----</p><p>They land on a planet that is not unlike Earth. It has some kind of shielding technology that takes them about 30 minutes to get through, but once they do, Blue recognizes clouds; a rare phenomenon in space he has learned.</p><p>As they near the land, Blue notices green forests and the greenish shine of the sun. It gives the sky a teal hue.</p><p>“So, you’ve been in contact with the natives before?” Blue asks. “Are they rebels?”</p><p>“No. Well, some of them has joined the rebels, but most of them are living peacefully with each other. Their population isn’t that big though, only about 800 people,” Shiro replies.</p><p>“Oh. So their civilization is pretty tiny. Is there any other intelligent life on their planet?”</p><p>“Not that we know of. But we haven’t really made an effort into exploring it more, since the natives are pretty knowledgeable.”</p><p>“What are they called?” McClain asks.</p><p>“Well, it’s a mix of the natives and some refugees that have arrived throughout the centuries.”</p><p>When the Castle lands, they make way to the entrance of the Castle. Allura has had a big smile on her lips for the past hour, and Blue thinks he can guess what planet they’re on.</p><p>Outside the Castle, a group of nine people greet them. There are two Alteans, one of them Coran’s age, three tall people that has the same long arms and three fingers like Nyma and the rest of them seem to be mixes of the two races.</p><p>“Is that... Alteans?” McClain softly asks behind Blue. “That’s so cool. We’ve only been able to find descendants of them!”</p><p>Allura turns to look at him, a little surprised, before walking towards the elder Altean. They hug and press their foreheads together afterwards.</p><p>At a slower pace, the rest of Voltron follows.</p><p>“McClain, Lancelot and Blue, this is Thilliam,” Allura introduces. “He’s the chief of the village. He’s also the oldest Altean alive. I expect you to treat him with respect.” She looks at McClain, who just raises an unimpressed eyebrow.</p><p>“Welcome to our planet,” Thilliam says and nods at them. He has the same reddish brown skin as Allura, green Altean markings and white hair. They must be related somehow. Which is nice, considering that in Blue’s reality there are no Alteans of the Royal Bloodline left.</p><p>“Thank you, chief,” Blue says and bows his head. “We appreciate your hospitality.”</p><p>“It is of no matter. Our planet will always be a shelter and sanctuary for the Voltron force.”</p><p>“Talking about rebels, I have news for you,” Allura pleasantly says. “Shiro, will you join our debriefing?”</p><p>“Sure, Princess.” Shiro nods at the Paladins and leave with the two Alteans.</p><p>“Let me show you our cottage!” Hunk exclaims in excitement, looking at the Lances. “And my kitchen! Boy, I hope they’ve stocked it. But if they haven’t that’s cool. It’s always fun to gather food here.”</p><p>“I think I’m going to go ask the Alteans more about quintessence,” Pidge says with a little frown. “Maybe, some practical information will shed light on what it is.”</p><p>“I’m coming with you,” Keith says. Blue suspects it’s because he doesn’t want to be alone with the Lances.</p><p>“Sure. Have fun, you guys,” Hunk smiles and starts to walk. Slowly the Lances follow.</p><p>“So, what do you usually do around here, besides getting supplies?” McClain asks.</p><p>“Well, mostly a lot of debriefing, information sharing and training,” Hunk reports. “But really, it’s all very chill considering what we usually do. I like to explore all the flora here, because there are so many edible plants and stuff. And Lance used to… I mean he likes to surf. We often went surfing together.”</p><p>“Surfing?” McClain says with excitement. “I love surfing! Lancelot, have you tried surfing?”</p><p>Lancelot shakes his head. “I’m going to show you the ropes, pal. It’s going to be awesome!”</p><p>They head towards one of the bigger cottages, and on the way, Blue is surprised to see just how much technology there is in the seemingly primitive village. A lot of the natives are driving hover bikes, the art on the walls change pictures like a digital screen, holograms are being broadcasted to a little group of children and some teens are playing with kite-like.</p><p>It is a weird contrast to the clay cottages with black-tinted mosaic windows, the wells and drying racks of laundry. Blue is so used to cold, metal buildings for the more advanced civilisations. The only place he’s seen people being close to nature and still mastering technology was on Olkarion, but God that has been such a long time ago.</p><p>They enter the cot Hunk has stopped by, and the black-tinted windows actually let a lot of the sunlight in. The interior design, however, seems highly hobbit-inspired. All round doors, furniture with curvy lines and dark wood.</p><p>Hunk sighs in content, and immediately goes to kitchen. “Oh, they stocked it!” he calls. “Do any of you guys want tea?”</p><p>“Thank you, bro,” McClain calls back, and goes to the couch. He throws himself on it and sprawls.</p><p>“Do you want to try some tea?” Blue asks Lancelot.</p><p>“T…”</p><p>“Yeah, tea. It’s boiled water with herbs in it. Do you want to try it?”</p><p>Slowly Lancelot nods. They all settle down at a dinner table while Hunk rustles around in the kitchen. About ten minutes later, he comes in carrying a platter with steaming cups of tea and biscuits.</p><p>“Aw, man, you’re the best,” McClain praises and sits up. “Hey, what do you guys want to do later?”</p><p>“I actually think I’m going to meet up with the engineers to check on the shield,” Hunk says. “Apparently, it’s been malfunctioning a lot lately.”</p><p>“Is it a BirkShield?” McClain inquires.</p><p>“A BirkShield?” Hunk repeats.</p><p>“Yeah. It’s a planet called Birkne, that specialize in atmospheric shields. We’ve used them to protect planets with resources that the Galra has an interest in.”</p><p>“Uh, that sure sounds exciting,” Hunk says with lifted eyebrows. “The Altean shield is very incompatible with planets that don’t have the same atmosphere as them.”</p><p>“When we figure out this whole alternate reality traveling, I will hit you up with my Hunk. He knows everything about it.”</p><p>They continue to chat, and Blue idly listens. Lancelot is taking small sips of tea, but he looks reluctant.</p><p>“You don’t like it?” Blue quietly asks.</p><p>Lancelot looks away.</p><p>“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to drink it,” Blue continues. “At least, not this particular tea. We can try another one tonight, and see if it fits you better. Okay?”</p><p>Lancelot looks at him, and nods.</p><p>Hunk and McClain are interrupted, when Shiro peeps in.</p><p>“Lunch is ready,” he tells them.</p><p>They follow them to the centre of the village, where several cauldrons are steaming and grills are smoking with food. They’re served hot vegetable stew and bread. The food is bland, but settles well in the stomach.</p><p>“So, Blue,” Hunk says. He has finished his first bowl, and is now taking more time to enjoy the second. “You’re also from the future, right?”</p><p>“Right,” Blue confirms.</p><p>“So, where are we right now? I mean in your reality?” he asks.</p><p>It’s been mainly Hunk and McClain who has been leading the conversation, Lancelot and Blue satisfied with just listening, but at the question the Paladins look up from their meals in interest.</p><p>“Well,” Blue says, suddenly feeling very nervous. He doesn’t really want to talk about it, especially because he is so behind on everything, but the question is innocent and Blue can’t make himself say no to Hunk. “Uhm, Hunk, you became a diplomat. Kind of. You own this big base on Earth, where world leaders get to show up on neutral ground. You cook for them, and don’t let them leave before they’ve finished the three-course meal.”</p><p>Hunk looks surprised. “So I get to just, cook and stuff?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Blue answers. At least that is what he gathered from Hunk’s last e-mail. “But it’s more than just that. Your base has fulfilled more peace treaties than most others in the world. It’s important work.”</p><p>“Oh,” Hunk says and smiles softly. “That actually sounds awesome.”</p><p>“What about me?” Pidge asks.</p><p>Blue draws in a deep breath, lifting his brows. “Jeez, what are you <em>not</em> doing.” His contact with Pidge had been shallow at best. Not because they were estranged. She was just so busy, and Blue was reluctant to take up her time. “Everything from research to technology design. Weapons, shields, technological infrastructure, you name it.”</p><p>“And… do I find my father and brother in your universe too?”</p><p>Blue smiles at her. His scalp starts to itch, and he absently tugs at his hair. “Yeah. They’re helping you out a lot.”</p><p>“How long did it take for you to win the war?” Shiro asks. “For us, it took around three years.”</p><p>Blue shrugs. “It took us a year, approximately. But then again…” He tries not to look at Allura. “You married about two years ago,” he continues to change the subject. “You’re actually looking into adopting a very sweet kid, named Ryl.”</p><p>“I did what now?” Shiro says, shocked.</p><p>“Yeah. You… After Adam, you had a really hard time getting back into the swing of things. Mostly focusing on leading ATLAS. But there you met Curtis. He is really good for you.”</p><p>“<em>He</em>?” Shiro repeats.</p><p>Blue slowly blinks. “Yeah. You’re like hella gay. At least in my universe.”</p><p>“Oh.” Shiro looks down. “That’s really nice.”</p><p>Now the rest of the Paladins are looking at Shiro. God, is it only Blue who is feeling very hot all of a sudden?</p><p>“Shiro, are you gay?” Pidge asks outright and Blue inwardly cringes. It took a lot of time for Shiro to eventually admit he was gay, and if this Shiro is nearly as touchy in this universe, maybe it isn’t a good idea to just ask him like that.</p><p>“Uhm… yeah.” Shiro is still looking down, and Keith puts a hand on his shoulder. “I just… I guess I never thought I’d get my happily ever after, you know?”</p><p>“Of course you do,” Blue says. “All of us deserve to get our happily ever after.”</p><p>Shiro grins at him. “That’s very nice of you to say.”</p><p>“Yeah, you are definitely not our Lance,” Pidge comments.</p><p>They all roll their eyes at Pidge’s antics. The quiet moment makes Blue aware that his palms are sweaty and his heartbeat has quickened. But it is alright. It’s just… recounts. It shouldn’t be difficult.</p><p>“Coran, you’re teaching Altean history for middle schoolers, also on Earth. And Keith, because I know you’re too shy to ask.” Blue takes a moment to sink. He feels like there’s a toad in his throat. “You basically fixed … everything that has to do with the Galra? Introduced democracy, helped them join the coalition. Kolivan and your mother have become representatives, last thing I heard. Later on, the Blades kind of became an intergalactic Red Cross? Zethrid, Ezor and Acxa, you three became Blades too.”</p><p>“I wasn’t too shy to ask,” Keith says with crossed arms. “What about Narti? Lotor? And Allura?”</p><p>“Uh…” Blue looks up at them. It is now or never. “Dead.”</p><p>“What?” Zethrid exclaims. “How ‘dead’? What happened?”</p><p>Okay, it is definitely too hot. Blue squirms and blinks. “I… I don’t really want to talk about it.”</p><p>“You can’t just leave it there!” Ezor is staring at him. They’re all staring at him. <em>Why are they all staring at him. </em>“Maybe you know something, that we don’t. Maybe what you know can prevent something.”</p><p>“I…” They’re doing it again. Leaving him no choice. He doesn’t want to talk about it, hasn’t talked about it for years, and here he is. Always on his fucking knees for the cause. God, he feels dizzy. He blinks hard a couple of times to clear his vision. “I don’t…”</p><p>“Blue?” Allura asks.</p><p>He doesn’t want to hear her voice. He closes his eyes and tries to sink again. There is so much death he had to endure and ignore, because the mission was always more important. When would he stop being a soldier.</p><p>“Blue, breathe,” he hears Shiro say somewhere. “It’s okay.”</p><p>They always took.</p><p>Why can’t he <em>breathe</em>?</p><p>“Paladins, step back,” Thilliam says. “Something is going on with his quintessence levels. Tamara, Iduna, evacuation.”</p><p>He feels like skin and bones. Fuck, the universe took something from him and he can never get that back, and when will that stop making him <em>grieve</em>.</p><p>He can feel everything. The heat of the fire underneath the cauldrons and grills, the washes of movement in the ocean, the soft heartbeat of the trees –</p><p>He throbs. He doesn’t know how else to describe it. It’s like the tension inside of him balled up and crushed through his body like force waves. He can hear the Paladins shout out and the fire igniting. But as soon as the tension disappears, another ball starts to form. He opens his eyes, and sees that the trees have blown back and that the Paladins are all on their stomachs, blocking their heads with their arms.</p><p>He bites down, and closes his eyes. He can control it. He can. He tries to take a deep breath, but his lungs are full of water. He falls down on his knees, biting down so hard it feels like his teeth shatter.</p><p>He would have taken her place, if the world would have let him.</p><p>----</p><p>McClain and Lancelot are the last to clear. Thankfully, Tamara and Iduna evacuated the villagers before the blow, but the Paladins and Generals had taken cover among the cottages to evaluate how big of a threat Blue has become and what to do. A loud whirlwind has started circling the centre, almost deafening out their words.</p><p>“He’s not stopping,” Allura shouts, her hair wildly flying around her head. “I have to stop him or he will burst!”</p><p>“No, let me,” McClain yells back.</p><p>“What? How?” She looks at him. “I can take the Quintessence he’s emitting.”</p><p>“You won’t know how he will react to you. We have to make him calm down.”</p><p>“And what are you going to do?”</p><p>“Just trust me, I have a trick or two in my sleeve.” He stands up, but now Lancelot is getting up. He puts a hand on McClain’s shoulder and shakes his head.</p><p>But before any of them can make any further decision, the misted wind that has been twirling around Blue suddenly dissipates and he falls onto his knees. His head lolls forwards and he falls onto his hands. His hands start to glow as the quintessence surges from his hands and into the ground.</p><p>The light finally fades after a while, and Blue collapses on his stomach. He rolls onto his back with a groan, and lies there, breathing hard for a bit.</p><p>“Fuck,” McClain hears him curse, and only then does McClain dare to sneak forwards. When he gets closer, Blue’s eyes are closed.</p><p>----</p><p>After Thilliam had asked all of them to fix this problem, they take Blue and head towards the Castle, stopping just outside the forest line. Blue stays unconscious the whole time, but his markings are still alight, almost beam-like. Much stronger than the glow Agura usually sees Altean markings emit.</p><p>He reaches out and puts his hand on Blue’s forehead. Immediately, he can feel the tingle of the nanites seeping to the surface of his skin, as if being pulled by a magnet. He lets his hand slide down Blue’s face, before standing up.</p><p>“So what do we do with him?” Allura asks. She standing with her back to the ocean shore, a piece in the circle the Paladins have made around Blue. Agura pulls back a little bit to keep his viewpoints clear.</p><p>Then he looks at McClain, expecting a sharp comment, and he’s not disappointed: “What do you mean ‘do with him’?”</p><p>“We can’t just let him run amok here,” Allura calmly answers but Agura’s knows she is getting seriously irritated with his constant questioning and objections. “We can’t let him hurt the civilians.”</p><p>“Then we take him to the Castle,” Keith suggests. “Keep him contained there.”</p><p>“No one is being contained,” Shiro firmly states. “He clearly had a panic attack, and accidently used his powers.”</p><p>“He can’t control those powers,” Allura argues.</p><p>“Well, then, someone will just have to teach him,” Shiro pointedly remarks. “Allura, you’re probably the one who passed him this power. It will have to be your responsibility.”</p><p>“But…“</p><p>“We have lots of time to train, until Lance gives us further instructions.”</p><p>“I don’t even know what he <em>is</em> – “</p><p>Agura hears something in the distance. He closes his eyes to focus. It’s the humming of an engine. A big one. Perhaps one the Alteans haven’t been using so far?</p><p>The Paladins keep arguing, but McClain is noticing Agura’s lack of attention. Agura walks back to get a better view of the forests. There’s smoke coming from the village.</p><p>“Those fires shouldn’t be so big,” McClain realizes.</p><p>“Wait, Zethrid is calling us,” Allura suddenly says, interrupting the discussion. “They’re being attacked.”</p><p>As if spurred by her words, Agura hears movements coming from the trees. He scans the tree line, quickly picking out five figures and more incoming. He darts forwards, moving swiftly through the trees until he reaches the first target. Surprised, he realizes that the soldier isn’t Galra. It doesn’t stop him from swiftly breaking the arm that is holding a laser rifle, and breaking his neck. Another figure shoots at his back, and his armour comes up, taking most of the shot. He knows this, and he is relieved. He knows how to do this.</p><p>----</p><p>Allura is shouting for Lancelot to come back, but before they even get to discuss their options the beach is suddenly flooded with strangers. There has to be at least fifty of them, their armours varying in strength and looks, their weapons ranging from guns to swords. But where their weaponry is more primitive than the Galras’, their technique is far more superior, and Pidge soon find themselves with their hands full, defending Blue’s motionless body. Thankfully, all except Shiro, Blue and Agura are wearing armours and even though the fight isn’t fair, it’s not all doomsday either.</p><p>“Who the Hell are these guys?” Keith asks, as he tramples through the attackers with his sword like a freight train. “They’re not Galra.”</p><p>“No shit, Keith,” Pidge grunts as they electrocute someone who was nearing Blue. “Will someone do something about Blue?”</p><p>“We’re all pretty occupied, Pidgeon,” McClain answers, and for a second they could almost think that the guy speaking really is Lance.</p><p>“Well, we can’t just leave him on the ground,” Pidge says, and yelps as someone blows them forwards on their knees. They kick the attacker’s feet down from under him, electrocuting at the highest voltage and jumps back on their feet.</p><p>“They’re too many, we need to get the Lions,” Allura growls.</p><p>“Can’t you just call them with your mind?” McClain asks, only to scream a second later. Pidge turns around and sees that he is surrounded by the attackers, his shield the only thing keeping him protected as he swipes at their feet. He’s bleeding from a weak point between his shoulder plates. “That fucker just stabbed me!”</p><p>“We could really use an Altean bomb right now,” Hunk huffs as he makes his way to McClain, using his body build and strength.</p><p>“Keith, you’re surrounded as well,” Shiro says. “Pull together and let your backs face the shore, so they can’t corner us. McClain, is it possible of you to try calling the Red Lion?”</p><p>“Wait, why?” McClain asks, stumbling back on his feet. Immediately he clears a line of attackers with his sword, Hunk providing him cover. “God, don’t tell me it’s still only the Red Lion that can do it here!”</p><p>“Just do it!”</p><p>“I can’t concentrate!”</p><p>For what feels like too long, the Paladins are struggling to gather together again. Once they have, McClain drags Blue behind him, so close to the water that Blue’s feet are getting wet. Pidge can see Lancelot from the other side of the attackers, taking advantage of their backs turned to take them down in a rapid fire pace.</p><p>“Okay, okay, okay,” McClain sighs. “Just get Red. Easy. She’s a treat no matter what reality.”</p><p>He closes his eyes, his breathing slowing. Pidge can feel the pull at their string with the Green Lion, so something must be happening.</p><p>The Paladins trying as hard as they can to provide McClain shelter, but Pidge doesn’t see who places the shot. They just see it fly past them, and hit McClain right where the hole in his armour is. He starts convulsing as he is electrocuted, and as soon as it’s over he falls down onto his hands. He chokes audibly in the com, and Pidge swiftly orders: “Blue armour, set four, activate adrenaline shot.”</p><p>McClain is trying to talk.</p><p>“That’s two men down, Keith, you have to give it a try,” Allura orders. “You’re the one with the strongest connection to Red. Let’s all try to call our Lions; the village is in need of our help.”</p><p>McClain’s choking turns into struggling inhalation, and soothed by this, Pidge tries to reach within themselves to pull at their connection with Green. They can feel the flicker of Green’s interest, until it pulls back again.</p><p>“Come on, Green, don’t be a tease,” Pidge mumbles underneath their breath. “This isn’t a game.”</p><p>“Pidge,” McClain gasps. “Don’t tell me that was an adrenaline shot.”</p><p>“Of course it was, your airways closed after the electric shock,” Pidge says. “Now shut up, I’m trying to concentrate.”</p><p>Eventually, they can feel Green leave the Castle, and Pidge gets a brief visual of the village from above, also fighting a big group of attackers and the trail of bodies Lancelot has left in the paths of the forest, leading all the way to the beach. After what feels like an eternity, Green comes to them.</p><p>“Pidge…” McClain rasps. “I need to go.”</p><p>“McClain, stay in position,” Shiro commands.</p><p>“Board the Lion and go save the village,” McClain gasps. He starts to crawls into the water. “Take Lancelot and Blue. Go. <em>Now</em>.”</p><p>“McClain, get inside the <em>fucking</em> Lion,” Keith screams as McClain’s figure submerges in the water. “Now is not the time to argue!”</p><p>“It’s okay, Keithy boy,” Pidge hears McClain say, his voice barely a whisper. “They can come for me. The fuckers are in my territory now.”</p><p>“He will be alright! Just trust him!” Hunk shouts. “Let’s go! Lancelot, stop stabbing and take Blue into the Lion now!”</p><p>Pidge doubts that Agura can even hear him, but after a minute or two Agura appears out of nowhere. His hands and arms are soaked in blood, but before Pidge can take a closer look or guess at what he has been doing, he picks up Blue and runs into Green’s mouth.</p><p>Hunk is the last to board, keeping the attackers at bay with his canon.</p><p>The last thing Pidge sees before they take off, are pieces of McClain’s armour floating in the sea.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>come holla at me on my</p><p>
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        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Feedback as well as constructive criticism are always welcome.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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